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FABRICS 


AND 

HOW TO KNOW THEM 


DEFINITIONS OF FABRICS 
PRACTICAL TEXTILE TESTS 
CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 


GRACE GOLDENA DENNY, A. M. 

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HOME ECONOMICS 
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE 


ILLUSTRATED 




PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON 
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 




tS \zoc\ • 
-IM* 


COPYRIGHT, IQ23, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 







PRINTED BY THE J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 
AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS 
PHILADELPHIA. U. S. A. 

fern 1 7 ’23 

©C1A698640 

-TiO J » 


PREFACE 


This book of definitions of textile fabrics and terms relating 
to fabrics and of practical textile tests represents the accumu¬ 
lated knowledge of a large number of persons dealing directly 
with materials. Contributions have been made by sales¬ 
people, buyers, advertising experts, wholesale merchants, and 
experienced mill men. 

The purpose of this publication is to present usable infor¬ 
mation about staple fabrics on the retail market. It is limited 
to-yard goods, many of which appear in ready-to-wear garments 
and articles of household use. Rugs, window shades, blankets, 
and comforters are not included; they are textile fabrics but 
are not sold by the yard. Likewise, there are many mechanical 
fabrics, as automobile tire cloth, belting, felt for filter pur¬ 
poses, asbestos cloth, balloon silk, sail cloth, etc., which have 
been omitted because they are not sold over the counter in a 
dry goods store. 

The list covers only materials on the American market. 
Fabrics recognized as staple or standard have been chosen and, 
as far as possible, novelties eliminated. 

Brand names as “Lonsdale muslin” and “Skinner's 
satin" have not been given, because each represents one only 
of a class of muslins and satins which can be defined without 
the use of the advertised name. Such names as “Soisette" 
and “Seco" denote fabrics which cannot be described without 
using the trade term. In order to give a representative list of 
these terms, a questionnaire was sent to 200 merchants in 
different sections of the country asking for the names of 
nationally advertised fabrics commonly called for by their 
customers. Accordingly, the trade names in italics are 
based upon the replies sent by these dry goods firms. Many 
fabrics have received their names through usage. For ex¬ 
ample, georgette was first produced by a French manufacturer. 
Because the name was not protected, it became common 
property and now is used as the name of a fabric. 


3 




4 


PREFACE 


The terms relating to fabrics do not include technical facts 
about manufacturing processes, because there are many! 
reference books which supply this information. 

The definitions are presented for the use of all those who 
buy or sell cloth. It is hoped that the information will be of 
value (i) to salespeople, in retail stores, wholesale and jobbingj 
houses, advertising and merchandise managers and buyers of 
fabrics and ready-to-wear goods (2) to students of textiles and 
clothing in high schools and colleges and (3) to the buying) 
public. 

In addition to the many who have assisted in the prepara¬ 
tion of the manuscript, special acknowledgment is made to- 
Professor Robert Max Garrett, University of Washington; 
Mr. Frederick L. Lewton, Curator, Division of Textiles,! 
United States National Museum; Wilbur W. Nugent, Circu-j 
lation Manager, Fairchild Publishing Company; Professor 
Effie I. Raitt, University of Washington; Mrs. Cassie Paine 
Small, formerly Associate Director of the Prince School,] 
Boston; Arthur Weisenberger, Director, Bureau of Research 
National Retail Dry Goods Association; Mrs. Mary Schenck 
Woolman, Textile Specialist, Boston. 

Seattle business houses have contributed generously to the 
fund of information contained in this book. Grateful ac¬ 
knowledgment is here made to them. 


The Author. 




THE FOLLOWING FIRMS HAVE GIVEN VALUABLE 
DATA WHICH IS INCORPORATED IN THE BOOK 


Abraham & Straus, Brooklyn, N. Y. 

J. N. Adams Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 

The Alms & Doepke Co., Cincinnati, O. 

The F. N. Arbaugh Co., Lansing, Mich. 

L. S. Ayres, Indianapolis, Ind. 

Belk-Williams Co., Wilmington, N. C. 

P. A. Bergner & Co., Peoria, Ill. 

M. E. Blatt Co., Atlantic City, N. J. 

The Bon Marche, Seattle, Wash. 
Brown-Thomson & Company, Hartford, Conn. 
Bullock’s, Los Angeles, Calif. 

Braunstein Blatt Co., Atlantic City, N. J. 
Caheen Bros., Birmingham, Ala. 

Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Chamberlin-Johnson-Du Bose Co., Atlanta, Ga. 
The M. M. Cohn Co., Little Rock, Ark. 

Cohen Bros., Jacksonville, Fla. 

The Crescent, Spokane, Wash. 

Crew-Beggs Dry Goods Co., Pueblo, Colo. 
Crowley Milner & Co., Detroit, Mich. 

The Daniels Fisher Stores Co., Denver, Colo. 
The Dayton Co., Minneapolis, Minn. 

Denholn & McJay Co., Worcester, Mass. 

The Denver Dry Goods Co., Denver, Colo. 

L. S. Donaldson Co., Minneapolis, Minn. 

A. Drysdale & Son, Bennington, Vt. 

Duluth Glass Block Store, Duluth, Mich. 
Eastman Bros. & Bancroft, Portland, Maine 
The Emporium, San Francisco, Calif. 

The Fair, Chicago, Ill. 

B. Foreman Co., Rochester, N. Y. 

Forbes & Wallace, Springfield, Mass. 

Frederick & Nelson, Seattle, Wash. 

Fraser, Patterson Co., Seattle, Wash. 


5 


6 


FIRMS GIVING DATA 


Gardner & Co. Inc., Walla Walla, Wash. 
Gimbel Brothers, New York City. 

J. Goldsmith & Sons Co., Memphis, Tenn. 

M. Goldwater & Bros., Phoenix, Ariz. 

Hahne & Co., Newark, N. J. 

0 . A. Hale & Co., San Jose, Calif. 

The Halle Bros. Co., Cleveland, 0. 

The Wm. Hengerer Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 
Hirsch Bros. Dry Goods Co., St. Joseph, Mo. 
D. H. Holmes Co. Ltd., New Orleans, La. 

C. F. Hovey, Boston, Mass. 

Harrolds, Ltd., London, Eng. 

Harris-Emery Co., Des Moines, Iowa. 
Hochschild, Kohn & Co., Baltimore, Md. 

The J. L. Hudson Co., Detroit, Mich. 
Hutzler Brothers Co., Baltimore, Md. 

A. M. Jensen Co., Walla Walla, Wash. 

Jordan Marsh Co., Boston, Mass. 

Joske Bros. Co., San Antonio, Texas. 

S. Kann Sons Co., Washington, D. C. 

Keith O’Brien Co., Salt Lake City, Utah. 
The Killian Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 
Kaufman-Straus Co., Louisville, Ky. 
Lansburgh & Bros., Washington, D. C. 

The F. R. Lazarus Co., Columbus, 0. 
Lipman-Wolfe & Co., Portland, Ore. 
Lippincott & Co. Inc., Wilmington, Del. 

The Lamson Bros. Co., Toledo, Ohio. • 
Lord & Taylor, New York, N. Y. 
MacDougall-Southwick Co., Seattle, Wash. 
R. A. McWhirr Co., Fall River, Mass. 

Marks Isaacs Co., New Orleans, La. 
Marshall Field & Co., Chicago, Ill. 

Marston Co., San Diego, Calif. 

Montague & McHugh, Bellingham, Wash. 
The Morehouse, Marten Co., Columbus, 0 . 
O’Neill Co., Baltimore, Md. 

The Palais Royal, Washington, D. C. 

The People’s Store, Tacoma,Wash. 

The J. C. Penny Co., Everett, Wash. 


FIRMS GIVING DATA 


7 


The D. M. Read Co., Bridgeport, Conn. 

The Rhodes Co., Seattle, Wash. 

The Rike-Kumler Co., Dayton, O. 

The Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Co., Hutchinson, Kan. 
Rudge & Guenzel Co., Lincoln, Neb. 

Selfridge’s, London, Eng. 

Sage, Allen & Co., Hartford, Conn. 

E. M. Scarbrought & Sons, Austin, Texas. 

Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney, St. Louis, Mo. 

Stein Bros. Co., Hastings, Nebraska. 

The Shepard Co., Providence, R. I. 

Shriver-Johnson Co., Sioux Falls, S. Dak. 

R. H. Stearns Co., Boston, Mass. 

The Stone-Fisher Co., Tacoma, Wash. 

Stewart Dry Goods Co., Louisville, Ky. 

Taft & Pennoyer Co., Oakland, Calif. 

Varsity Dry Goods Co., Seattle, Wash. 

John Wan am aker, New York, N. Y. 

White House, San Francisco, Calif. 

R. H. White Co., Boston, Mass. 

W. M. Whitney & Co., Albany, N. Y. 

Weinstock-Lubin & Co., Sacramento, Calif. 

Woodward & LoTHRor, Washington, D. C. 

Wurzburg Dry Goods, Grand Rapids, Mich. 


****** 















































































. 







/ 





TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface. 3 

Firms That Have Given Data. 5 

List of Illustrations. 11 

I. Definitions of Fabrics and Terms Relating to 

Fabrics. 15 

II. Textile Tests—Practical Analysis of Fabrics i i i 

III. Classification of Fabrics.. 135 

IV. Books of Reference on Textile Fabrics. 145 

















* 























, 






































♦ 








I 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Ada Canvas. 

Astrachan. j8 

Batik (Resist Printing)... 18 

Bedford Cord. 21 

Birdseye. 21 

Brocade. .... 24 

Chine or Warp Print. 30 

Composition Dot. 32 

Cretonne. 33 

Cross Stitch Canvas. 35 

Damask (Table Linen). 38 

Damask (Upholstery). 37 

Double Cloth (Chinchilla). 40 

Gabardine . 47 

Gauze Weave as in Marquisette. 48 

Granite Cloth. 50 

Grenadine, Brocaded. 51 

Honeycomb. 54 

Huck. 54 

Knit Fabric as in Jersey. 58 

Leno. 59 

Madras (Shirting). 61 

Madras (Curtain). 62 

Marquisette. 64 

Milanese . 66 

Moire. 67 

Monk's Cloth (Basket Weave). 68 

Net. 70 


11 






























12 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 




PAGE 


Net Weave as in Bobbinet.. 71 

Net (Filet). 71 

Pile Fabric (Brocade).. 77 ‘ 

Plain Weave as in Voile. 76 

Print (Discharge or Extract). 80 '1 

Ratine. 82 r 

Satin Weave as in Sateen. 84 P 

Satin Weave as in Satin. 85 

Seersucker . 86 w 

Serge (Wool). 87 I 

Swiss (Lappet). 92 

Swiss (Swivel). 93 ■ 

Tapestry. 95 I 

Terry (Looped Pile) . 97 fl 

Tied and Dyed Fabric. 98 I 

Tricolette. 100 ■ 

Tweed. 101 | 

Twill Weave as in Denim. 102 I 

Twill Weave as in Serge. 102 I 

Cloth Tester of “ Linen Tester ”. 113 S 

Thread Counting Micrometer. 113 




























PART I 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS AND TERMS RELATING 
TO FABRICS 






FABRICS AND HOW TO 
KNOW THEM 

FABRIC DEFINITIONS AND TERMS RELATING 
TO FABRICS 

The italicized words are trade names. Only those necessary 
for identifying the fabrics have been mentioned. See 
preface. 

Abaca. Often called Manila hemp. Fibre commonly used 
in the Philippines. Fibres are tied end to end and woven 
without spinning. 

A.B.C. See silk and cotton fabrics. 

Abbot cloth. See Monk's cloth. 

Ada Canvas. A coarse, stiff, rather open fabric of the canvas 
type. Originally made of linen, now usually of cotton. 
Color tan. Uses: art needlework, particularly for Gross- 
stitch, and other canvas stitch patterns. Weave—fancy 
(modification of basket). Width 40", 44". 

Airplane linen. A closely woven, plain, unbleached linen 
fabric made for airplane wings. Left-over war stock used 
for needlework, dresses and children’s rompers. Weave— 
plain. Width 32", sometimes 34" or 40". 

Albatross. A light weight wool fabric with a slightly creped 
surface. Yams soft and fine. Piece-dyed, usually in light 
colors. Crepy effect due to twist in yams. Launders and 
wears well. A variety of albatross 44" wide is called Crepe 
Egypta, a trade name. Uses: dresses, negligees and infant’s 
wear. Weave—plain. Width 36". 

Aledo. See silk and cotton fabrics. 

Alpaca.* A smooth, wiry fabric, cotton warp, worsted filling 

*An animal somewhat like the Angora goat, only smaller, lives in 

South America. The name of a fabric originally made of this fibre. 

15 



l(i 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


(may be alpaca or any lustrous wool slightly twisted). See 
Mohair. Yam-dyed. Often two color effects with white i 
cotton warp and colored filling. Excellent wearing quality. ; 
Uses: petticoats, dresses, men’s slimmer suits or office coats.' 
Light weight used for linings. 



Ada Canvas 

Angora. A species of goat whose long, silky, hairlike wool is . 

called mohair in manufactured goods. Ex. mohair plush.' 1 
Aeolian. See Eolienne. 

Armure (silk). From the French armour meaning armor, so 
called because the fabric has a small ridgy or pebbly pattern 
which suggests chain armor. A stiff, rich looking silk. 1 
Filling yam often heavily weighted. Usually black. Uses: | 
dresses, coats, trimmings, facings for men’s dress coats,- ! 
cravats. Weave—fancy, called Barathea. Width 20", 36*. | 
Armure. A drapery fabric closely related to rep with woven 
figures on a rep foundation or all figure weave. Plain color 
or a mixture of colors. Uses: couch covers, portieres,! 
Weave—Jacquard. Width 50*. 





FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


17 


Art linen or embroidery linen. A general term applied to a 
variety of crashes. May be close or loose weave. May show 
“round thread,” i. e., not calendered, or may be polished 
and flat. May be unbleached, quarter bleached, half 
bleached, or white. Uses: chiefly needlework as lunch- 
cloths, napkins, doilies, runners;- also for dresses, skirts, 
uniforms. Weave—plain. Width 18", 20", 27", 36", 42", 

45", 48". 54','69', 72", 8 r, 90". 

Art ticking. Distinguished from regular Ded ticking by its 
printed design', usually in stripes of pink, green or blue com¬ 
bination, often with small floral pattern. A tough, firm 
cloth. Uses: mattress and pillow covers and sometimes as 
cretonne. Weave—satin. Width 36". 

Artificial or manufactured leather fabrics. Made by applying 
a nitro-cellulose coating to a cotton back. The foundation 
cloth may be firm muslin or a heavier material napped on 
the back. Various effects are produced by the weight of 
cloth and finish on surface. A good grade of manufactured 
leather is more durable than a poor grade of split leather. 
Sold under trade names as Pantasote , Fabrikoid, Leather- 
wove. Colors—brown, green, red, blue, black, tan. Uses: 

upholstery, millinery and dress trimmings. Width 50". 
Artificial silk. Called art silk, manufactured silk or fibre silk 
I' and is coarser, more lustrous, more wiry and less strong than 
animal or worm silk. 11 is used in sweaters, cravats, hosiery, 
I tricolette and other knitted goods; also for braids, trim¬ 
mings, embroidery thread and combined with cotton, wool 
j or silk in cloth. It is made by a chemical process from wood 
pulp (spruce) or from cotton linters (short cotton fibre). 
There are three processes used, Chardonnet or nitrocellulose 

I I and Cuprammonium, both of which utilize cotton linters. 
The newer process, Viscose, employs wood pulp. 

^.strachan. Imitation of Astrachan fur, the pelts of young 
I lambs from province of Astrakhana. A heavy coating with 
a curly pile, resembling fur. May be either knitted or woven 
(pile) fabric. The knitted fabric usually inferior or cheaper. 
The back may be of cotton in cheaper grades. Mohair 
yarn or some lustrous wool forms the pile. Similar to Kara¬ 
kul or imitation Persian Lamb. Yam- or piece-dyed. Good 


2 










FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


19 


quality wears very well. Uses: men's and women’s coats, 
caps, muffs, trimmings. Width, 52". 

Baby flannel. See flannel. 

Balbriggan. Commonly called “Bal.” Fine knit underwear 
for men made of Egyptian cotton in the natural color. 
Imitation Bal is of ordinary cotton stained to imitate the 

Egyptian. 

Baronette Satin. A trade name for a sports fabric made of 
fibre silk with a cotton back. Uses: sports skirts and suits, 
millinery. Weave—satin. Width, 40". Georgette Satin a 
trade name for a similar fabric. 

Barre (Fr. pr. bah-ray). Any pattern produced by stripes or 
bars extending crosswise of the goods. See Bayadere. 

Basket cloth. A plain woven fabric with two or more warp 
yams interlaced with two or more filling yams. It produces 
a basket effect. Sometimes double warp and double filling 
are used in a twill. 

Bathrobe cloth (cotton). A thick, napped, double-faced 
blanketing woven with tightly twisted warp and two sets of 
soft filling which is heavily napped. Warm and attractive. 
Nap packs down after washing. Two color effects in design. 
Highly inflammable. Weave—Jacquard. Width, 27" or 54". 

Batik (pr. bah-teek). Ancient process of resist printing 
Originated in Java. Practised by modem craftsmen and 
imitated in machine printing. See Printing, Resist. 

Batiste (French origin, from name of Jean Baptiste, a linen 
weaver). A soft, thin cotton fabric resembling nainsook, 
only finer. Qualities vary from that of a fine nainsook to 
very thin and delicate grades of batiste. Combed yams of 
fine cotton are used and better grades are highly mercerized. 
Uses: all kinds of lingerie and infant’s wear; the cheaper 
grades for linings and undergarments. White and delicate 
colors. Weave—plain. Width, 30", 36", 45". 

batiste (wool). Light weight, fine, smooth fabric similar to 
nun’s veiling, only finer. Lends itself to draping effects 
and shirring. Plain colors. Uses: children’s dresses, neg¬ 
ligees. Weave—plain. Width, 40", 44'. 









20 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Bayadere (Fr. pr. by-ad-air). Stripes in strongly contrasted 
colors, running across the fabric. Name derived from gar- : 
ment worn by dancing girls in India. 

Beach cloth. Trade name for a cotton fabric substitute for 
linen crash in colors. Not pressed smooth or calendered. 
Piece-dyed. All colors. Uses: dresses, suits. Weave-plain. 
Width, 36". Surf cloth is a trade name for a similar fabric. 

Beaver. A fine, woolen fabric with a napped finish similar to 
broadcloth. Originally made in England to resemble beaver 
fur, hence the name. The length of the nap varies greatly. | 
A kind of beaver cloth used in millinery is a pile fabric some¬ 
what resembling hatter’s plush. The thirty and thirty-two 
ounce beavers used for uniforms and overcoats may be com¬ 
pared with melton. They do not have the hard finish of 
melton, but always show a nap. Weave—twill. Width j 

52", 60". 

Bedford cord (wool). A smooth, corded fabric with cords 
running lengthwise. One set of filling yams interlace with 
warp and form face of cloth. The other set floats on the 
'back except where it causes the depression between cords, ill 
The cords are more pronounced when warp yams are used lj 
for stuffing. They are placed between the face of the cloth; j 
and the filling floats on the back. May be worsted, silk, or j 
cotton or combinations. Wearing quality excellent, unless |j 
weave is loose with weak filling yams. Uses: dresses, 
light weight coats, riding habits. Weave—fancy. Width, I 
44 ", 50", 54 ". See Pique. 

Bedford cord (silk). Like wool Bedford cord. May contain , 
cotton particularly for padding the cords. Not always on ; ! 
the market. Uses: trimmings, dresses. Weave—fancy, j 
Width, 32", 36", 42". 

Beetling. A special finish on cotton and linen cloth by whicl! B 
the fabric is given a flat surface. Especially used on table | 
damask in addition to calendering and is a pounding process J 
which flattens the cloth giving it a leather-like texture. 

Beige (Fr. pr. bayzh.) 1. Natural color or undyed fabric. 1 
2. A kind of wool fabric no longer on the market. 

Bengaline. Similar to poplin only heavier. Silk warp with 






FABRIC DEFINITIONS 



Bedford Cord 



Birdseye 
























22 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 




worsted filling. Cheap grades have cotton filling, some- ! 
times silk is used. Warp entirely covers filling. Yam-dyed. 
Wears very well unless loosely woven. Uses: dresses, coats, 
trimmings. Weave—corded (variation of plain). Width, 
24", 36", 38", 40". 

Birdseye or diaper cloth (cotton). So called because the 
woven pattern is made of small figures resembling bird’s 
eyes. Also called diaper or lozenge pattern. Filling yarnsJ | 
are loosely twisted to make them more absorbent. Usually | 
sold by the bolt in ten yard pieces. Uses: diapers and : 
sanitary napkins. Weave—figure. Width 18", 20", 22", 24" 

27\ 30". 

Birdseye or diaper weave. A small geometric pattern re¬ 
sembling a bird’s eye; or, a small diamond pattern with a 
dot in the center. 


Birdseye (union or linen). Fine linen birdseye in various pat¬ 
terns is used for guest towels and for table runners. A 1 
coarse quality sometimes used for diapers and sanitary I 
napkins. Weave—figure. Width, 16", 18", 20". 

Blanc (Fr. pr. blong, meaning white). In the French dry 
goods trade everything which is bleached. 

Bleaching. The process of whitening textile materials by 
exposure to the sun or by chemical means. 


Block printing. The hand printing of fabrics with blocks, as 
distinguished from modern printing with rollers. 

Bobbinet net. See net. 


Boiled-off-silk. Silk which has had the sericin or natural 
gum removed. See degumming. 

Bolivia. A woolen or worsted weft pile fabric. Soft and 
velvet-like in feeling. The tufts of pile usually appear in 
diagonal or vertical rows. Yam- or piece-dyed. Excellent 
wearing quality in good grades. Uses: women’s coats and 
suits. Weave—pile. Width, 54". See Velvet and Plush. 

Bolt. An entire length of cloth from the loom, rolled or 
folded. Bolts vary in length. 

Bolting cloth. A thin, stiff, transparent fabric made of silk in 
the gum, Closer and stiffer than voffe f Woven in Switzer- 





FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


2 3 


land. There are four grades denoting coarseness of mesh. 
Used chiefly for fine sifting in flour mills. Other uses: 
stencils, sign making; foundation for wigs and toupees, 
dress trimmings. Weave—gauze. Width, 40". 

Boucle or boucle (pr. boo-clay). Having knots or loops on 
the surface as imitation astrachan. 

Boyduroy .—See Corduroy. 

Brilliantine. A smooth, wiry material the same as alpaca or 
mohair—a heavier quality is called Sicilian cloth. Warp, 
cotton; filling, lustrous wiry wool (may be mohair). Sheds 
[ dust, does not wrinkle. Not used for dresses unless stiff fabrics 
are in vogue. Excellent wearing quality. Uses: dresses, 
linings, dusters, bathing suits. Weave—plain or twill. 

Width, 44 ", 50 ", 52 ", 54 ". 

I Broadcloth. A smooth, rich looking, lustrous woolen fabric. 
The nap lies in one direction. For this reason more cloth 
is required in cutting garments. Cloth is fulled after weav¬ 
ing, napped, sheared, polished. Chiffon broadcloth is lighter 
weight with high lustre. Stock-dyed or piece-dyed. Good 
quality wears very well. Uses: dresses, suits, coats. Width 

ft ft 

50 , 54- 

Broadcloth shirting. A fine material in silk or cotton. It 
is woven very close and even. Something the same texture 
as airplane cloth or wool taffeta. In cotton, it resembles a 
! very fine poplin. Dull texture. Rich looking. Weave— 
plain. Width, 32", 36". 

Broad silks. Silks a yard or more in width as distinguished 
from ribbons and eighteen inch silks. 

Brocade. A fabric with elaborate figures, usually floral, 
woven in. Made on a Jacquard loom. Originally heavy 
I silk with pattern in gold and silver threads. Brocaded 
, satin may combine different colors or merely show the 
pattern by the difference in reflection of light on the weave. 

Broche (pr. bro-shay). French term for brocade. Woven 
with a raised figure usually in imitation of embroidery as 
Broche shawls, a name for Paisley shawls, 
j Broken twill. A variation of a regular twill weave. The 



24 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 



Brocade 



















































































































































































































































































































































































































































FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


25 


direction of the twill is reversed giving a zigzag effect. 
See Herringbone. 

Buckram. A 2-ply millinery fabric stiffened with sizing or 
glue. One side is a crinoline effect and the other is similar 
to tarlatan. The two fabrics are glued together. Black or 
white. Sold by the yard or ten-yard bolt. Uses: frames 
for velvet and cloth hats. Width, 27". 

Bunting (cotton). From the German “bunt" meaning bright, 
gay. A soft, flimsy, plain colored fabric (orginally worsted). 
Heavier than cheesecloth. White or piece-dyed. Tends to 
fade. Uses: flags and festive decorations. Weave—plain. 
Width, 25", 27", 36". 

Bunting (wool). A light weight fabric similar to nun’s veiling 
but narrower and coarser. Worsted yams of strong wiry 
wool. Dyed in stock or piece. Wears well. Uses: flags and 
signals for trains and ships, a softer quality used for dress 
goods. Weave—plain. Width, 18", 36". 

Burlap or gunny. A coarse canvas made of jute. Colors— 
natural, brown, green, blue, red. Fades badly except in the 
natural or tan. Low grades used for gunny sacks and for 
wrapping furniture. A firmer quality with finish is used for 
drapery purposes. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 50". 

Butcher’s linen. See Crash. A kind of bleached crash which 
was originally used for butchers’ aprons. Practically off 
the market at present. Replaced by art crashes and Indian 
Head. Weave—plain. Width 36", 40*. 

Cable net. See Net. 


Calendering. Is the finish on cloth which gives lustre and 
smoothness by pressure under heavy rollers. This gloss 
disappears in laundering. 

Calico. Name derived from Calicut, India, where cloth was 
first printed with wood blocks by hand. Originally a fine 
printed cotton fabric, but has become an inferior material. 
Narrow, coarse, made from cheap grade cotton and highly 



in the nature of chintzes i. e., with good design and colorings 
and used for drapery purposes. Percale has almost replaced 
calico, Calico may be printed directly, or may have the 



26 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


figure discharged chemically from a dark background. It 
does not tear straight across the cloth because of rapid 
feeding into the calender machine. Uses: aprons, dresses. 
Weave—plain. Width, 25", 27". 

California cotton. See Imperial Valley cotton. 

Cambric (cotton). Named from Cambrai, France, where it 
was first made of linen. It is closely woven from fine white 
cotton yams, with little or no sizing, and is glazed and 
polished on one side.. Uses: underwear and aprons. Weave 
—plain. Width, 36". 

Cambric (linen). See Linen Cambric. 

Cambric, lining. A thin, narrow, stiff, glazed cotton fabric 
made from poorer yams than underwear cambric. May be 
white or piece-dyed. It is always sized and has a high polish ‘ 
on right side. Does not launder. Similar to paper cambric. ' 
Uses: linings, pattern modelling, fancy dress costumes. 
Weave—plain. Width, 25", 27". 

Canton Crepe. Same as Crepe de Chine only heavier and 
richer looking. 

Canton flannel (cotton). So named because first made in 
Canton, China. It is a heavy material with twilled surface . 
on one side and long soft nap on the other. Bleached or 
unbleached or piece-dyed in plain colors. Uses: sleeping 
garments, interlinings, household purposes. Weave—twill. 
Width, 27", 36". 

Canton linen. Commonly called grass cloth, Chinese grass 
cloth or grass linen. A fine, translucent fabric which looks , 
like linen. Made of ramie fibre (china grass). It wrinkles 1 
like linen, but has a distinctive, clear, oiled appearance due 
to lustre of ramie fibres when not twisted. Much worn in 
China in the stiff (or natural gum) unbleached state. ] 
Mostly hand woven. Cool and durable. Bleached or 1 
dyed blue. Sold usually in Oriental shops. Uses: lunch- 
cloths, doilies, blouses. Weave—plain. Width, 12*, 18', 

32', 36'. 

Canvas (linen). A strong, heavy linen or cotton fabric used 
for interlining, chiefly in coats. May be soft finished or 
highly sized, A variety of textures are sold under the name 



FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


27 


of canvas. Uses: interlining, art needlework. Weave— 

plain. Width, 27", 30", 32", 36". 

Canvas. See Ada Canvas and Cross Stitch Canvas. 

Canvas or awning stripe. A duck with woven colored stripes. 
Uses: awnings, hammocks, couch covers. Weave—plain. 

Width, 29", 36". See Duck. 

Cape net. See Rice Net. 

Casement cloth. A broad term which covers many drapery 
fabrics usually light, plain, neutral colors as cream, ecru, 
oyster, gray and tan. A variety of weaves are employed as 
plain, twill, satin striped, small figure. In silk, silk and 
cotton or mercerized cotton. Use: curtains particularly for 
French windows. Weave—plain or fancy. Width, 36", 45", 
48", 50". 

Cashmere. A light weight dress fabric originally made from 
the fine soft wool of the Cashmere goat, but now (both in 
England and America) from soft, native wools. It is similar 
to henrietta, but not as closely woven or as highly finished. 
Piece-dyed. Wears well. Uses: dresses, negligees, infant’s 
wear. Weave—twill, filling on the face. Width, 42". 

Cassimere. A general term applied to woolen or worsted 
cloth for men’s suits. Soft finished but not napped. Weave 
—plain or twill. 

Chain. Another name for warp. 

Challie or Challis (pr. shal-i). Originally a silk and wool 
fabric made in Norwich, England. A light weight dress 
fabric of wool or cotton and wool. Similar to old-fashioned 
muslin de laine. Soft, smooth yams. Always printed 
(direct or discharge). Wears and launders well. Uses: 
negligees and dresses. Weave—plain. Width, 27", 30". 

Challie or Challis (cotton). Is a light weight, soft, printed 
material similar to voile but not as fine or smooth. It wears 
and launders well. Uses: comforters, linings, draperies; 
better grades for kimonos and dresses. Weave—plain. 
Width, 27*, 36'. 

Chambray (pr. sham-bray). A type of gingham, plain in 
color, often having dyed warp and white filling. Chambray 
gingham wears well and is easily laundered. Weave —plain, 




28 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Width, 27", 28", 32", 36". Manchester chambray, the old 
type, was narrow, thin and stiff. Weave—plain. Width 
25". Heavy English chambrays are used for work shirts and 
are sold by weight, as for example, 3.80 equals three and 
eight-tenths yards to the pound. Weave—plain. Width, 28". 

Charmeuse (pr. shar-meuz). A light weight, rich looking 
soft satin with a dull back. It may be described as a very 
soft satin with a subdued lustre. This is due to the twist 
in warp. It is adapted to draping. Crepe charmeuse is 
very clinging, has a dull finish and a glove-like feel. Piece 
dyed. Uses: gowns, party wraps. Weave—satin (variation). 
Width, 40", 42", 44". 

Cheesecloth. Originally used for wrapping cheese. A thin, 
loosely woven cotton material made from coarse yams. It 
is unfinished, feels soft, has fuzzy surface. Bleached, 
unbleached or dyed. Better grades launder but shrink 
badly. Uses: poorer quality called hospital gauze for 
dressings. Better grades—curtains, pageant costumes, 
pattern modelling and many other purposes. Weave— 

plain. Width, 25", 36". 

Chenille (pr. shen-eel). French for caterpillar. Name for 
a yam having a pile protruding all around at right angles. 
Used for filling in cloth, also for fringe and tassels. May 
be of silk*, wool or mercerized cotton. 

Cheviot. So called because originally made of wool from the 
Cheviot sheep. A rough-surfaced woolen fabric similar to 
serge only heavier and rougher. May be made of wool or 
worsted yams. Stock- or piece-dyed. Somewhat fulled 
and napped. Excellent wearing quality. Uses: suits and 
coats. Weave—twill. Width, 42", 48*, 50", 54", 56", 58". 

Cheviot shirting. Stout, twilled, cotton shirting made of 
coarse yams. Softer than hickory shirting or ginghams. 
Stripes or checks. Yam-dyed. Brown and white or blue 
and white. Width, 28". 

Chiffon (French "chiffon”—a rag. pr. sheef-ong). A thin, 
gauze-like silk fabric with soft or sometimes a stiff finish. 
Warp and filling of hard twist singles. Chiffon cloth is 
heavier in weight than chiffon and more durable, Uses; 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


29 


party gowns, veils, trimmings. Weave—plain. Width, 

40", 46". 

Chiffon. As a descriptive term indicates light weight and soft 
finish as chiffon velvet or taffeta. 

China cotton. Short staple white cotton grown in China. It 
is coarse and harsh with a feel which resembles wool. Used 
in cotton blankets and in cotton and wool mixtures. 

China silk. Originally, plain hand woven silks made in China. 
A soft, light weight, thin silk. A heavy weight sometimes 
called Japanese silk. Wears and launders well. Piece-dyed. 
Uses: linings, underwear, waists, dresses. Weave—plain. 

Width, 27", 36". See Habutae. 

Chinchilla. Name derived from fur of Chinchilla, a small 
squirrel-like animal found in mountains of South America. 
Fabric no longer resembles this fur. A double cloth having 
one or two sets of warp, one to four sets of filling. May be 
all wool or cotton back, or cotton yams used in joining back 
to face of cloth. Not as heavy or shaggy as Frieze. After 
fulling, the face is napped and rubbed by a special machine 
into little tufts or nubs. Excellent for wear. Uses: men’s, 
women's overcoats. Weave—twill (double cloth). Width, 

54"- 

Chine (pr. she-nay). From French verb “Chiner” to color or 
dye. In the technical sense means warp printed. Used as an 
adjective in describing fabrics. 

Chintz. Originally any printed cotton fabric, the same as 
calico. Now a drapery fabric having small, gay figures. 
Some chintzes have a glazed surface. Weave—plain 

Width, 25*, 36". 

Cire. A brilliant patent leather effect produced on satin 
(cloth or ribbon) by application of wax, heat and pressure. 
Clay worsted. Name derived from an English manufacturer. 
A heavy cloth of diagonal weave, looser than a serge, used 
for men’s wear. 

Cloister cloth. See Monk’s cloth. 

Clydella. See Flannel (baby). 



FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Chine or Warp Print 







FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


3 i 


Composition dot. A dotted or figured swiss or other figured 
cloth where the dot is not woven or embroidered in, but 
applied chemically. Usually permanent in a thin material 
like swiss, but may peel when applied to a heavier fabric. 

Conditioning. Process which determines the percentage of 
moisture present- in fibres or fabrics. 

Corduroy. Derived from the French corde-du-Roi meaning a 
King’s cord. It is a variety of cotton velvet having ridges or 
cords in the pile. The pile is made of mercerized yams 
formed by an extra filling or weft in the loom. A special 
cutting machine secures the round effect on the pile. Sur¬ 
face brushed and singed. Piece-dyed. Sometimes printed. 
A good quality is very durable. Light weight corduroy for 
sports skirts is washable. It is also used for baby robes. 
Uses: suits, trousers, coats, skirts, infant’s wraps, dresses, 
hangings, upholstery. Weave—pile. Width, 27", 36". 

Boyduroy is a trade name for a kind of corduroy. 

Cotton and Wool Plaids. A large class of fabrics used chiefly 
for children’s dresses. Warp cotton, filling wool, or part 
wool. Yarn-dyed. Better grades launder well. Weave— 
twill. Width, 36", 40". 

Cottonade. See Hickory. 

Count. 1 . A term indicating the number of ends and picks 
per inch, for example, the thread count of a fabric is 86x80. 
2. Yam count—a number given to yam indicating its fine¬ 
ness, based upon number of yards per pound, more correctly 
called “yam number.” 

Coutil. French for drill (pr. coo-teel). A tough, firm variety 
of drilling used for corsets. Made from hard twisted cotton 
yarns. Close weave. A variety of effects produced by 
weave which varies from twill to many fancy stripes and 
figures, usually herringbone twill. Width, 36", 50". 

Covert, (pr. like “cover,” taken from a hunting term). A 
medium weight suiting of woolen or worsted yams. Warp 
is formed of two-ply yams, one of which is white (slightly 
twisted). This-gives a specked effect in color. The white is 
often cotton. Hard or soft finished. Yam-dyed. Colors 


32 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


castor, tan, green, gray or drab. Excellent for wear. Uses: 
overcoats, riding'habits, suits, rain coats. Weave—twill or 
satin. Width, 54". 

Covert (cotton). Seldom sold in department stores by the 
yard. Usually gray, either plain or dark stripes. Resembles 
a wool suiting. Uses: trousers. Weave—twill. Width 36". 



Dotted Swiss (Composition Dot) 


Crash (dress and drapery crash). A rough texture in linen or 
cotton or a combination of the two. Various effects pro¬ 
duced by close or open weaves and by rough or smoothly 
spun yams. Color, natural, bleached, half bleached or 
dyed. Uses: hangings, couch covers, pillows, table runners, 
needlework, dresses, suits. Weave—plain. Width 36', 

45', 50*- 

Crash (toweling). Narrow. White, half bleached or natural. 
Linen, cotton, or union (cotton warp, linen filling). Valued 
for its absorbing property. Loose, roughly spun yams 
absorb better but are less strong than tightly twisted ones. 





FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


33 


Used also for table runners and art needlework. Weave— 
plain. Width, 15", 16", 18", 20". 

Crash, Russian. Narrow, rough crash, hand woven by Rus¬ 
sian peasants. Natural color. Some of the woody fibre left 
in flax. Coarse, uneven hand spun yams produce a rough 
cloth. Valued for its uneven texture for table runners, pil¬ 
lows, portieres. Finer and smoother qualities used for 
toweling. Practically off the market during and since 
the war. Weave—plain. Width, 15* to 18". 

Cravenetted. A process of rendering fabrics waterproof or 
moisture repellent. Named for Craven, the inventor. 

Crepe or crepon. A general term which covers many kinds 
of crepe. 

Crepe, Japanese. A plain colored crepy-surfaced cotton 
material. The crepiness is due to the right and left hand 
twist of filling yams. White and all colors. Yam dyed 
stripes. Uses: kimonos, smocks, women’s and children’s 
dresses, curtains, needlework. Weave—plain. Width, 29". 

Crepe , Serpentine. A trade named cotton fabric. Character¬ 
istic ridges make it resemble crepe paper. Permanently 
creped in grooves lengthwise by engraved rollers with heat, 
pressure and chemicals. Requires no ironing. White, 
plain colors and printed. Uses: kimonos. Weave—plain. 
Width, 30". 

Crepe , Plisse, (pr. plee-say—Fr. plaited). A trade named cot¬ 
ton fabric. Light weight and thin. Lengthwise stripes, like 
seersucker, or an allover blistery effect. This surface is 
produced by chemicals. A roller printing machine deposits 
caustic alkali which shrinks the fabric in stripes or spots. 
Durable material which requires no ironing. White, flesh 
and printed. Uses: lingerie. Weave—plain. Width, 29". 

Crepe or crepon (wool). Rather wiry fabric with crepy sur¬ 
face. Surface effect due to treatment of yams (difference in 
the degree of twist, or left and right hand twist in same 
fabric) or having some warp yams slacker than others. 
Good wearing quality. Only found when crepy fabrics are 
popular. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 40", 50", 54". 



34 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Crepe-backed satin. See Crepe Meteor. 

Crepe de Chine (silk). French de chine meaning “of China." 

A soft, more or less shiny fabric with a crinkled effect I 
produced by right and left twist of warp yarns. Piece-dyed. \ 
Sometimes printed, seldom weighted. If too light weight 
it pulls badly on seams. A good grade wears and launders ! 
well. Uses: underwear, waists, ties, dresses, trimmings. ’ 
Weave—plain. Width, 40". 

Crepe de Chine (cotton). Is an imitation or substitute for silk 
crepe de chine. Made with cotton warp and spun silk : 
filling. It has a soft, clinging effect. “Crepiness” due to 
right and left twist in warp and filling yams. Filling yams 
are light in weight and few in relation to warp, which gives 
fabric little strength crosswise. White or piece-dyed, 
usually light colors. Uses: underwear, waists, 

Weave—plain. Width, 36". 


l > 

dresses.- 


Crepe Meteor. A soft light weight satin fabric. Similar to 


crepe de chine on wrong side but with a soft satin weave on 
right. The old name for crepe backed satin. Uses: gowns, 
blouses. Weave—satin or twill. Width, 40". Kitten's 
Ear Crepe is a trade name for a similar fabric. 

Creped or craped. From the Latin crispere, to curl, (render¬ 
ing a fabric crimpy or crepy). Many effects are produced as: 

1. Hard twisted yams in right and left twist warp or 
filling or both which kink up when released from the 
loom. Examples— Georgette, Japanese crepe. 

2. Alternate groups of warp yarns, wound on separate 
beam or held slacker than the rest, forming crinkled 
stripes as in seersucker or ripplette. 

3. Treatment with chemicals to produce blistery or 
creped surface as Plisse crepe. 

4. Engraved rollers or grooves plus chemicals produce a 
fabric like serpentine crepe. 

5. Heat and engraved rollers produce mourning or 
hard crapes which are woven from hard-spun silk in 
the gum. 

Cretonne. A printed drapery fabric of cotton or linen in a 
variety of weaves and finishes. May include chintz (only 




FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


35 



Cretonne (Direct Print) 


S!S!SS9SI!S!SJ9>5F5!!»!S98»!9SS!S!9!B!9SS»«iSiSSSSSSS:iSSsSsSiSsaSSisSsssa ! 

•»!•!■••!!!!<>!?!•!!!;!!>•!!«!!•!>!*!■ itiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! gg | ! 

•!!!!!f!!!!!S!f!S';!!!!!S!!!i!S!!!!!!!S!!!i i i i £ ilSii 

§ i • SiS»ii«S;s;i;SiS Sii i iii i s; 


•■•fiaiaiaia'Sfata^iiiitviaiataiaiaifiaiaiS'iiilSrSiSiSlSIiiiiiiSISIS’Szs 


Cross-stitch Canvas 



36 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


difference being size of patterns, which are larger than in 
chintz). Uses: hangings, upholstery. Weave—plain or 
fancy. Width, 25", 36", 50". 

Crinoline. A stiff, open fabric used for interlinings and hat 
construction. It is highly sized with a dull finish. Weave— 
plain. Width, 27". 

Crofting. Scotch term for bleaching linen on the grass. 

Cross-dyeing. Done on fabrics containing cotton and wool or 
cotton and silk in stripes or checks. Cotton yams dyed first, 
then woven. Cloth is cross-dyed in a dye for wool or animal 
fibres which will not take on cotton. 

Cross-stitch canvas or Penelope canvas. A stiff open fabric 
somewhat resembling tarlatan only heavier and stiffen 
Some grades have stripes or bars of blue yam at intervals, 
for marking off spaces. Different sizes of mesh. Uses : for 
working cross-stitch patterns. Weave—plain, Width, 36". 

Cut pile. A fabric in which the loops formed in the process of 
weaving are cut open; distinguished from uncut pile as in 
Brussels carpet. 

Daisy cloth. See Outing Flannel. 

Damask. Named for ancient city of Damascus. Originally^ 
an elaborately woven silk in floral design. Now refers to 
tablecloths and drapery fabrics. The figures are formed by 
contrast between warp and filling surfaces, i. e., satin figures 
(formed by the filling) on satin or twill ground (formed by 
the warp). On the wrong side the figures are reversed. 

Damask. Originally made in silk. The word has come to 
mean table linen whether pattern weave or plain satin. Fine 
tablecloths and napkins are called “double damask.” Such 
linen has a firm, leathery feel. Cheaper grades, those having 
fewer yams to the inch, and therefore, looser weaves, are 
called “single damask.” In double damask each yam or 
filling skips seven yams and binds the eighth, in single, 
damask each yam skips four and binds the fifth yam. Both 
are sized, calendered and beetled. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


37 



Damask (Upholstery) 














































38 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Table damask is woven by the yard or in patterns as napkins 
and pattern cloths. The latter adds to the expense. The j 
right side of a tablecloth has the background of the pattern | 
in warp face satin, the design or figures appearing in filling j 
face satin. The order is reversed on the wrong side. The 
difference in reflection of light from warp and filling shows 
the pattern. Weave—Jacquard. Width, napkins, 12", 16 \ 
18", 20", 22", 24"; tablecloths, 58", 60", 64", 72", 90". Damask 



Table Damask (Snow Drop Pattern) 


toweling is used for guest towels and for dresser runners. 
Width, 15", 16", 18". 

Damask. Drapery and upholstery fabric. Originally made 
in silk on hand looms. Modern damasks are of wool and silk, 
mercerized cotton or combinations of these. When the 
pattern reverses on the wrong side the damask is known 
under the special term Lampas. Uses: upholstery, hangings. 
Weave—Jacquard. Width, 50". 

Degumming or degummed. Process of removing the natural 
gum or sericin from silk. May be done before weaving or 
afterward as in the case of pongee. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


39 


Denim. From the French town of Nimes, serges de Nimes. 
A heavy cotton twill made of coarse yams. 

Denim, overall, is dark brown or indigo blue. Yam-dyed. 
Two grades, “White Back” and “Double and Twist.” 
Former made with white filling yams and blue or brown 
warp. In the latter, yams are doubled together and then 
twisted. Indigo denims are superior to other blues. Denims 
are sold by weight. An eight-ounce denim runs two yards 
to the pound, a 2.20 is two and two-tenths to the pound and 
so on. Uses: overalls, children’s play suits, aprons. Weave—■ 
twill. Width, 28", 29". 

Drapery denim is usually of softer finish than overall denim. 
It may have a twill or a fancy weave in small geometric 
figures. Piece-dyed or yam-dyed. Uses: hangings, couch 
covers, upholstery, slip covers. Weave—twill or figure. 

Width, 36". 

Devonshire. White or yam-dyed. See Gingham. 

Diagonal. General term meaning a broad or conspicuous 

twill. 

Diana. See Mercerized Dyed Fabrics. 

Diaper cloth. See Birdseye. 

Diaper. Originally a rich silk fabric. Refers to design woven 
in a small diamond-shaped figure. Similar to birdseye 
weave. Now means a cotton or linen fabric of birdseye 
weave. See Birdseye. 

Dimity (cotton). Origin Latin dimitum , of double thread. A 
light-weight fine fabric with corded stripes or bars. White, 
dyed or printed. Good quality, wears well. If poor grade, 
it tends to split on stripe due to uneven strength of warp 
and filling. Uses: lingerie, infants’ wear, waists and dresses. 
Weave—plain. Width, 30", 32". 

Dimity for drapery purposes is unlike ordinary dimity. It is 
mercerized, usually woven in stripes of self color, tan or 
gray. Uses: hangings, slip covers, Weave—fancy. Width, 
30 ", 32 ", 36 ". 




40 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Direct printing. The simple method of printing cloth. Woven 
goods receives color from engraved rolls or blocks in much 
the same way as paper is printed (distinction from warp 
printing). See Discharge and Resist Printing. 

Discharge printing. Fabric is piece-^lyed, the color afterward 
removed in certain places by the action of chemicals. Ex¬ 
ample: blue percale with white dots. 

Domet. Old term for‘a napped fabric similar to outing flannel. 
Also called domett. 



Double Cloth Chinchilla 


Double cloth. Cloths woven with' two warps and one filling, 
one warp and two fillings, two fillings and two warps or with 
a fifth set of bindeiy yams to unite the two cloths. Ex.: 
double-faced coatings, ribbons and Jacquard blankets. 
Both sides may be alike or show a pattern reversed in color. 

Drap. French for cloth. 

Dresden. Refers to color effect in designs (usually warp 
printed) which resemble in delicacy the famous Dresden 
china. 

Dressing, i. Size made of gum, glue, starch, china clay, 
etc., used to finish cotton, linen and silk goods. 2. Pro¬ 
cess of finishing cloth. 3. Weighting of silk, 



FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


41 


Drilling or drill. Origin Latin trilix, having three threads. 
A stout, twilled cotton material, bleached, unbleached or 
piece-dyed. Usually unbleached. Light drill called Jean or 
Middy Twill. A khaki-colored drill is called Khaki. Known 
by weight as 2.50 meaning 2.50 yards in one pound. Other 
common weights are 2.85 and 3.00. Uses: uniforms, pocket 
linings, middy blouses. Weave—twill. Width, 28", 30". 

Druid’s cloth. See Monk’s cloth. 

Duck. So called because it sheds water. A heavy canvas-like 
cotton fabric used for tents. Usually two warp yams are 
treated as one in weaving. Bleached, unbleached, dyed or 
printed. Sold by weight as 8 ounce, or 10 ounce, meaning 
1 yard weighs 8 ounces or 10 ounces. 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 to 
25 ounces. Uses: lighter weights for men’s and women’s 
suits, middies; heavy grades for tents, boat sails, awnings, 
tarpaulins. Weave—variation of plain. Width, 29", 36", 
40", 48", 60", 72", 84". 

Duck cloth (millinery fabric). A stiff, dull, cotton material of 
rough texture used for making hat frames. Difficult to 
handle. White. Weave—gauze, double yams each way. 

Width, 36". 

Durretta. See Jean. 

Duvetyn (wool) '(French duvet for down—pr. duv-teen). 
A soft velvety material first made from spun silk. May be 
wool or silk or a combination. Fine soft woolen yams on 
face. Fine downy nap raised with an emery cylinder. A 
material not intended for hard wear but gives excellent 
service. Uses:coats, suits, dresses. Weave—twill. Width,-54". 

Duvetyn (silk). The so-called silk duvetyn usually has a fine 
mercerized cotton waip and spun silk filling. A very delicate 
fabric, not adapted to hard wear. Uses: millinery, trim¬ 
mings. Weave—twill. Width, 38", 40". 

Dyeing. The process of coloring materials. 

1. Stock-dyeing. Fibres dyed before spinning. Origin of 
expression “dyed in the wool.” 

2. Yam-dyeing. Yams dyed before weaving as for 
plaids or stripes. 

3. Piece-dyeing. Cloth dyed after weaving, 
gee Cros s -dy e ing, Batik, Printing. 


42 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Dynamited silk. See Weighting. 

Ecru (pr. ay-kroo). Light tan, deeper than cream. 

Ecru silk. Silk which has only a small amount of natural 
gum removed. 

Egyptian cotton. Long staple, fine, strong cotton grown in 
Egypt. Brownish color. Used extensively in knitted 
goods, particularly in hosiery. 

Eiderdown. Name derived from the down of the eider duck. 
A warm, light, elastic cloth with heavy nap on one or both 
sides. Made on a cotton knitted foundation. Loose wool 
yams or cotton or mixtures are knitted into stockinette by 
the same machine which constructs the material. Surface is 
napped to give light, fluffy feel. Yam- or piece-dyed. 
White or colors. Uses: infants’ wear, bathrobes, and negli¬ 
gees. Weave—knitted structure. Widths, double faced 
(nap on both sides), 27", 36", 45"; single faced (cotton back, 
wool nap), 36*'. 

Embossed. Any fabric pressed between engraved plates to 
give a raised figure like embossed monogram stationery. 
Done by engraved rollers and heat. 

Embossed velvet or plush is done by weaving the pile high 
and shearing it to different levels or by pressing part of the 
pile flat. 

Embroidery linen. See Art linen. 

Emerizing. A finishing process by which cloth is given a pile 
effect. Similar to napping. Done with rollers covered with 
emery cloth. Chamoisette (for gloves) has been emerized. 
Many fine woolen materials are given this chamois or peach- 
bloom surface. 

End. A warp thread or yam. 

Eolienne or Aeolian. From the Greek, ^Eolus, God of the 
Winds. Similar to poplin, only lighter in weight. Character¬ 
ized by heavy filling yams which produce a cord effect. 
Usually silk warp with cotton or worsted filling. Piece- 
dyed. Uses; same as poplin. Weave—plain. Width, 

36', 40', 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


43 


Epingle. Fine rib effect running crosswise of cloth. A variety 
of fabrics are referred to as epingles. 

Eponge. French meaning sponge, (pr. ay-pongzh). A soft, 
loose fabric similar to ratine, cotton, wool or silk. The warp 
is usually hard twisted with nubby or looped filling yams. 
Like ratine, not always in fashion. Uses: dresses, suits. 
Weave—plain. Width, 48", 52". See Ratine. 

Etamine (Fr. pr. ay-tah-meen). A smooth, wiry material 
similar to bunting or voile but more open. Cotton or 
worsted fabric. Often fancy effects in weave and finish are 
introduced in etamines. Excellent for wear except as loose 
threads may pull. Uses: dresses. Weave—plain. Width, 
36", 42". 

Everfasl suiting. See Linen finish suitings. 

Extract printing. See Discharge printing. 

Extract wool. Wool recovered from cotton and wool rags by 
treatment with sulphuric acid which destroys vegetable fibres 
and leaves only wool. 

Faille (Fr. pr. fy-e, English pr. file). A'soft, flat-ribbed silk 
fabric. Ribs are wider and flatter than grosgrain. Soft 
finished with slight gloss. Appears better in light than dark 
colors. Wears well if not too loose in weave or heavily 
weighted. Uses: dresses, trimmings. Weave—fancy. 

Width, 36", 40". 

Fan-ta-si. See Sports silk. 

Farmer’s satin. See Venetian. 

Fast color suitings. Much like any linen finish suiting. The 
distinctive feature is a guarantee of fast color in piece-dyed 
cotton goods. Under trade names as Everfast Suiting , a 
light-weight, smooth, plain cloth in plain colors; Indian 
Head (colored) is the hard finished Indian Head dyed.. 
Weave—plain. Width, 36*. 

Fastness of dye. Property of dye to retain its color when 
exposed to sun or washing. The term, fastness is a compara¬ 
tive one as a dye might be extremely fast to light and only 
moderately fast to washing. No color is absolutely fast to 
ail conditions. 



44 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Felt (cotton). Sold at linen counter, called “silence cloth” 
or “ table felt. ” A strong, close material, heavily napped on 
both sides. Unbleached or white. Nap, as usual, packs 
down in washing. Uses: padding for dining table or ironing 
board. Weave—twill. Width, 64", 72". 

Felt (wool). A solid, heavy material closer and thicker than 
melton. It may be woven of woolen yams, shrunken and 
pressed but is usually formed by felting wool fibres with 
heat, moisture and pressure. Quality depends upon ingred¬ 
ients used. Opportunity to use harsh, coarse, broken and 
inferior fibres. Very strong unless too thin and porous. Felt 
may be hard and board-like or spongy and elastic depending 
upon its use. Uses: billiard table covers, pennants, hats, 
slippers, pads, filter cloth, lining of fur mgs, show-case 
linings, counter mats, chair pads, insoles, ink pads, polishers 
for finishing furniture, automobiles and marble, parts of 
pianos, sewing machines, laundry machinery, vacuum 
cleaners, artificial limbs, blackboard erasers, com plasters. 
Weave—plain, twill or pressed fibres. Width, 54", 72". 

Felting. Tendency of wool fibres to mat together when 
moisture, heat and friction are applied. Minute overlapping 
scales on the surface of wool fibres spread when wet. Com¬ 
ing in contact, they interlock and fasten the fibres together. 
The interlocking of scales causes fibres to contract on drying 
and shorten. Shrinking is like felting only less in degree. 
Same as fulling or milling. 

Fibre silk. See Artificial silk. 

Fibre silk fabrics in colors for draperies. Called by various 
trade names. Usually gauze weave, combining cotton with 
fibre silk. Fancy weaves introduced in stripes or figures or 
swivel pattern in fibre silk. Width, 45", 50". Kapock is a 
trade name for a type of these fabrics. 

Filet net. See Net. 

Filet. A square mesh net. Derived from handmade lace 
having knotted square mesh. 

Filling. Yam for the shuttle—the crosswise yams in weaving, 
each of which is called a “pick.” Same as weft or woof. 
Also refers to weighting or loading as starch, gum, china 
clay or mineral weighting in silk. See Weighting. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


45 


Finishing. All the processes through which cloth is passed 
after leaving the loom in preparation for the market. 

Flannel. A light-weight, soft, woolen fabric with napped sur¬ 
face. With more fulling and finishing, it may become broad¬ 
cloth. Plain color, striped or plaid. Uses: skirts, dresses. 
Weave—plain or twill. Width, 36", 42". 

Flannel (Baby). Loosely woven woolen material in white. 
All wool or warp of cotton or silk. Smooth or napped sur¬ 
face. Yam- or piece-dyed. Uses: infants’ wear, petticoats. 
Weave—plain. Width, 27", 30", 36". Viyella and Clydella 
are trade named fabrics made in England. Woven of cotton 
and wool mixed in the yarn. Non-shrinking. Clydella 
contains less wool than Viyella . Viyella is made in dif¬ 

ferent weights and widths. Uses: shirts, dresses, sports 
wear, infants’ wear. Weave—twill. Width, 31", 46". 

Flannelette. See Kimono flannel. 

Flaxon. A trade term covering a variety of fabrics. White 
or printed. Resembles India linon (cotton) and dimity 
(striped or barred). Attractiveness and durability due to 
fine-combed cotton yams which are gassed and more or less 
mercerized. Launders well. Name stamped on selvage. 
Uses: blouses, infants’ wear, dresses, underwear. Weave— 

plain. Width, 30", 32", 36", 40". Sherette is another trade 
name for a similar fabric. 

Flexible net or elastic net or J. C. cloth (Jockey Club). A 
closely woven millinery fabric of cotton, pliable and soft, 
and yet has a wiry appearance. Less stiff than Duck cloth 
but similar weave. White or cream. Use: foundation for 
soft rolled brim on hats. Weave—gauze. Width, 40". 

Floats. Warp or filling yams which lie free on the surface of 
the cloth. Yarns not bound or woven for some distance. 
Occur in elaborate brocades, also in poor, loosely woven 
table damask. 

Flocks. Very short wool fibres thrown off by different pro¬ 
cesses in woolen and worsted manufacture, such as shearing. 
Used for increasing the body of woolens by pressing in 
after weaving. 



46 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Fold. i. Same as ply in yam. 2. Refers to layers of cloth on 
the bolt. Flat fold means goods rolled without doubling. 
Bookfolds for narrow fabrics are folded once lengthwise and 
twice crosswise in such a way that they open bookwise from 
the centre. Observe damask napkins. 

Foulard (pr. foo-lar). French, meaning silk handkerchief. 
A soft light silk fabric. Always printed (direct or discharge). 
Wears very well. Usually unweighted. Uses: dresses, 
kimonos, linings. Weave—twill. Width, 27", 40". 

Foulard (cotton). A soft, highly mercerized fabric resembling 
silk foulard in texture. Plain or printed. Weave—twill. 
Width, 32", 36". 

Friar’s cloth. See Monk’s cloth. 

Frieze (pr. freez). Originated in Ireland. A heavy woolen 
overcoating having a nap on the face. Similar to Chin¬ 
chilla, but a lower grade fabric. Nap is heavy and shaggy 
without balls as in Chinchilla. Woolen yams of coarse 
quality wool. Shoddy is often employed in the modem 
fabric and mixed colors are used. Yam- or piece-dyed. 
Uses: overcoats, mackinaws. Weave—double cloth with 

twill construction. Width, 54". 

Fulling. See Felting. 

Fur fabrics. A large class of pile fabrics of silk or mohair 
which imitate fur. By dyeing and special finishes the tex¬ 
ture of various furs are obtained, as Hudson seal, (musk¬ 
rat), beaver, moleskin, astrachan, etc. Wild silk is often 
employed in silk plushes. Mohair is most commonly used. 
Weave—pile. Width, 50". See Plush, Mohair. 

Gabardine or gaberdine (cotton). Similar in appearance to 
the wool fabric of that name. It is a firm, rather heavily 
twilled material mercerized, usually white and without 
sizing. The weave shows a prominent diagonal cord on the 
right side. White and colors. Uses: suits, skirts and vest¬ 
ings. Weave—fancy twill. Width, 36". 

Gabardine or gaberdine (wool). A firm material similar to 
whip cord. Also made in cotton. Worsted yams. May be 
hard, smooth finish like worsted, or dull, soft finish like 
woolens. Piece-dyed. Excellent wearing quality. Wears 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


47 


shiny. Uses: dresses and suits. Weave—twill (many 

variations from simple twill). Width, 54". 

Galatea. A strong, firm, heavy cotton fabric. White, dyed in 
plain colors or printed. Very durable. Uses: children’s 
play clothes, middies, skirts. Weave—satin or twill. 
Width, 27". 



Gabardine 


Gametting. The process by which cloth made of wool or 
other materials is separated into fibres for remanufacture. 

Gassing. Singeing the loose fibres which protrude from cotton 
yams or cloth over tiny gas flames. It produces smooth 
material which will not fuzz up. 

Gauge. Applies to closeness of meshes or wales which deter¬ 
mine the fineness of a knitted fabric. 

Gauze. A weave in which the warp yams instead of lying 
parallel, twist about each other and are held by the filling 
so as to make an open lacy effect. When combined with 
plain weave, it is called leno. (See page 59.) Also refers to 
a very thin knitted fabric. 



48 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Georgette. A thin, sheer silk fabric, dull in texture with a 
“erepy ” effect due to right and left twist in both warp and 
filling yams. Woven in the gum. Degummed at the time 
of dyeing and finishing. Durable unless mineral weighting 
used or overbleached. Launders well. Piece-dyed or 
printed. Uses: blouses, gowns, millinery. Weave—plain. 

Width, 40". 



Gauze Weave as in Marquisette 


Georgette Satin. See Bar one Ue Satin. 

Gigging. See Napping. 

Gingham. A yam-dyed fabric (cotton) woven in checks,! 
plaids or stripes. Washes well and holds color better than! 
piece-dyed fabrics. Thin, coarse ginghams tend to shrink! 
badly. Cost, beauty and durability depend upon fineness j 
of yams and beauty of design. Uses: dresses, skirts, shirt-' 
waists, aprons, children’s clothes. Weave—plain or fancy. 
Width, 26" to 40". 







FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


49 


Varieties of Gingham 

Apron checks. Coarse, stiff, checked fabric. Any color and 
white. Use: aprons. Width, 26", 27". 

Chambray gingham. Plain colored gingham, often having 
white filling. Width, 27", 32". 

French. See Zephyr. 

Nurses’ or Red Cross gingham. Heavy blue and white 
striped, closely woven. Uses: nurses’ uniforms, house 
dresses. Width, 32". 

Scotch ginghams are those made in Scotland. Fine 
quality, beautiful colors and plaids. 

Tissues are thinner than ordinary ginghams. Often have 
heavy cord in stripe or check or embroidered design. St. 
Gall tissues from Switzerland are famous for their beauty. 

Zephyr ginghams and French ginghams used for dresses. 
Fine, light weight, soft finished, attractive coloring and 
designs. Made in America. 

The following are trade named fabrics related to ginghams. 
Heavier and closer than gingham. Devonshire , Kiddie 

cloth , Kindergarten cloth , Romper cloth. Uses: children’s 
clothes, dresses. Weave—plain. Width, 32". 

Glace (Fr. pr. glah-say). Glistening, smooth, resembling ice. 
Applies to two-toned silks. Warp and filling of different 
colors. Also applies to a special finish. 

Glass toweling. A plain, smooth fabric having stripes or 
checks of blue or red on a white ground. Made from tightly 
twisted, smooth yams. Glass toweling does not become 
linty. Name indicates purpose, wiping glassware. Used 
for all dishes. A loose weave allows greater absorption, but 
does not wear as well. Weave may be too close to permit 
absorption when cloth is new. Color of stripes should be 
fast to washing. Occasionally the red dye runs into white 
background. May be all linen, union, cotton, or mercerized 
yarns for the colored checks. Weave—plain. Width, 

15", 16", 17", 18". 

Gloria. An umbrella fabric having silk warp and worsted 
filling. Weave—plain. Cotton fabric of same type called 
gloria. A variety of umbrella silks in plain weave and twill 

4 




50 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


weave as well as cotton umbrella fabrics have taken the 
place of gloria. 

Glossing. Stretching and moistening silk yarns to impart 
lustre. 

Golf cloth. See Polo cloth. 

Granite cloth. A hard finished, pebbly cloth. Its roughness 
suggests the surface of granite. Worsted yarns. Piece-j 
dyed. Excellent for hard wear. Uses: dresses. Weave— 
fancy or irregular. Width, 42", 50", 54". 



Granite Cloth 


Grass bleaching. Exposing cloth to air, light and moisture 
by spreading on glass. Slower than chemical bleaching but 
does not weaken fabric. Method used extensively in Ireland 
and Scotland. Called “grassing" or “crofting." 

Grenadine. Usually silk or cotton, sometimes of worsted 
yam. An open gauze-like fabric similar to marquisette, 
except that the latter has two warp yarns twisted about two 
filling yams. Grenadine has two warps twisted around one 
filling. It is commonly known as marquisette. The term 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 



Grenadine (Brocaded Marquisette) 





52 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


grenadine as now used covers many lace-like effects in ' 
weave. Some are leno fabrics; that is, a combination of 
plain and gauze weaves which form window-lilce patterns in | 
the cloth. These open spaces are not always produced by ^ 
gauze weave, but by other contrivances for spacing warp j 
and filling yams. Piece-dyed, sometimes printed. Finished j 
soft or stiff. Durable if not too open. Uses: dresses, trim- | 
mings. Weave—gauze. . Width, 40". See Marquisette. 

Gros de Londres (Fr. pr. gro-de-londr). A cross-ribbed dress 1 
silk with heavy and fine ribs alternating or ribs of different I 
colors. Ribs are flat but lighter than faille. Texture 1 
resembles taffeta. Finish is slightly lustrous. Uses: dresses. 1 
Weave—plain. Width, 40". 

Grosgrain (pr. gro-gran, French, coarse grain). A firm, stiff, 1 
closely woven, corded or grained fabric. Ribs vary from 1 
50 to 70 per inch. Filling may be of cotton, but usually 1 
weighted silk. Cords are heavier and closer than those in J 
poplin, more round than those in faille. Wears well if not I 
too heavily weighted. Uses: dresses, trimmings, ties, coats. I 
Weave—plain (corded). Width, 26", 36". 

Habutae or habutai (pr. ha-bu-tl) Japanese meaning “soft as 1 
down.” A light-weight Japanese silk originally woven on I 
hand looms of silk in the gum, afterward boiled out. Similar \ 
to China silk, only heavier and more lustrous due to very I 
slight twists in warp and filling yams. It is also more dur- | 
able than China silk. Sold by mommie weight. White 1 
or dyed. Washes and wears well. Uses: undergarments, 1 
blouses and shirts, draperies, lamp shades. Weave—plain. 1 
Width, 27", 30", 36". 

Hair cloth. A stiff, wiry fabric made of a cotton, worsted or 
linen warp (usually cotton) and filling of horsehair. Hair is 
from the horse’s mane. The fabric is as wide as the length j 
of a hair. A single hair forms one pick of the filling. Black, J 
white or gray. Uses: stiffening interlining, upholstering. ■ 
Weave—-plain or twill (herringbone). Width, 15", 18", 30". j 

Handkerchief linen or lawn. A light-weight, sheer, smooth a 
fabric, white or piece-dyed. Wrinkles badly as does any fl 
linen fabric. Uses: ladies’ handkerchiefs, blouses, lingerie, J 
infants’ dresses. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 45". 




FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


53 


Hardanger cloth. A soft, mercerized cotton cloth of basket 
weave similar in appearance to Oxford suiting. Used for 
Norwegian needlework called Hardanger embroidery. 
Colors, white and ecru. Weave—basket. Width, 40". 

Hatter’s plush. A silk plush with scanty pile which is pressed 
down flat. Uses: millinery. Width, 21", 40". 

Heatherbloorrio A trade named fabric similar to percaline. 
Name stamped on selvage. Petticoats made of this material 
are labelled. 

Henrietta. Named in honor of Henrietta Marie, French 
Queen of England in 1624, wife of Charles I. A light-weight 
dress fabric similar to cashmere. Originally made with silk 
warp mostly in black. It differs from cashmere only in 
fineness and finish, being more lustrous. Uses: same as 
cashmere. Weave—-twill. Width, 36", 42", 44". 

Herringbone twill. A zigzag effect produced by alternating 
the direction of the twill. It resembles the backbone of a 
herring. Also called broken twill. 

Hickory shirting. A heavy twilled striped cotton shirting. 
Resembles ticking, lighter weight, softer feel. Similar to 
cottonade which is used for trousering. Yam-dyed. Blue 
or brown and white. Weave—twill. Width, 28". 

Holland linen. A plain woven linen finished by a sizing of oil 
and starch which renders it opaque. Uses: window shades. 
In the unfinished state, formerly used for dresses. 

Homespun. Rough, loose, strong wool cloth woven on hand 
looms. Also, machine-made imitations of hand weaving. 
Weave, usually plain or twill. Fabric resembles a tweed in 
general character. 

Homespun. A loose, rough woolen material of plain or twill 
weave and coarse yarn. Formerly made on hand looms at 
home from hand spun yarns. Now imitated by machine. 
Revived from time to time. Uses: sports clothing and men’s 
suits. Weave—plain or twill. Width, 48", 54". 

Honeycomb. The name of a weave used in toweling and 
occasionally for cotton or wool suiting. Marked ridges and 






BrafiMj 


54 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



Honeycomb 






FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


55 

hollows suggest surface of a honeycomb. Desirable in towel¬ 
ing because it exposes more surface for absorption than a 
plain weave. It is reversible. One variety of this weave is 
called “ wafflecloth. ” 

Honeycomb toweling. A cotton fabric of rough figured weave 
which has a surface suggesting a honeycomb or waffle. 
Towels in heavy-weight honeycomb instead of terry are used 
for bath towels. Good absorbing surface. Weave—figure. 

Width, 15", 16", 18". 

Hospital gauze. See Cheesecloth. 

Huck or huckaback. Word derived from huckster and back. 
The huckster in England was a man who carried his wares 
on his back. Toweling of linen, cotton or union having a 
small design is recognized as huck. A damask figure is often 
introduced in huck. The rough surface with loosely spun 
filling yarns absorbs well. Often woven in towel lengths 
with border on either end. Colored stripes with name of 
hotel or firm may be woven in. Half bleached or white. 
Wears very well. More union towels than any other kind. 
Weave—figure. Width, 12", 15", 16", 18", 20", 22", 24". 

Hygroscopic or moisture-retaining property. Common to 
silk and wool. Wool retains the greatest percentage of 
moisture without appearing to be wet. This accounts for 
the added weight to overcoats worn in a damp climate. 
Hence the need of cravenetting. 

Illusion. A term which may be used for tulle or maline. 
Refers to very thin transparent silk net. See Tulle and 
Maline. 

Imperial Valley cotton. So called because grown in Southern 
California and Arizona. Not a distinct commercial variety 
of cotton. Several varieties are grown in this region. All 
are long staple, strong, white cotton. Similar to Egyptian 
cotton except for color. Used largely for automobile tire 
fabrics, and for fine sewing threads. 

Indian Head. A heavy cotton fabric with much the same 
texture as butchers’ linen. Made with soft or hard finish. 
White or colors. The dyed fabric is guaranteed fast color. 
Uses: uniforms, aprons, napkins, tablecloths, towels, shirts, 



56 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


bibs, children’s day clothes, middies, and many house¬ 
hold uses, colors for suiting and curtains. Weave—plain. 
Width, white, 27", 33", 36", 44", 54", 63"; colors, 36*. 

India linon (cotton). French for lawn. Fine, closely woven, 
white fabric. Usually firmer and more durable than lawn. ■ 
Launders well. Uses: waists, dresses, lingerie. Weave— 1 
plain. Width, 27", 32", 36", 45 ". 

Ingrain. 1. Dyed in the fibre or yarn before weaving. 2. A 
kind of carpet. 

In the grease. Refers to wool as it leaves the sheep’s back, 
before scouring. 

In the gray. Unbleached or undyed cotton or linen cloth. 

In the gum. Refers to silk in its raw or natural state, before 1 
degumming. It contains sericin or silk gum which makes it ' 
stiff and dull. 

Jacquard (Fr. pr. zha-kar, English pr. jak-ard). Damasks and j 
brocades and all cloths with elaborate designs are woven on > 
the Jacquard loom. 

Japanese crepe. See Crepe. 

Japanese silk or Jap silk. See Habutae and China silk. 

Jean. A heavy twilled cotton fabric like drilling only a little 1 
finer and bleached; also called middy twill. White, plain I 
colors or stripes. Uses: heavy grades, suitings and corsets; 1 
lighter grades, linings, underwear, children’s clothes. ] 
Weave—twill. Width, 36". Duretta, a trade name for a 
similar fabric. 

Jersey cloth. A knitted fabric of wool, silk or artificial silk. I 
In wool, it tends to cling to the figure and stretches badly. 1 
Does not wrinkle. May have smooth finish but is often j 
napped to give rough surface. Yarn-dyed. Uses: dresses, j 
suits. Width, 54". Knitted in tubular form. 

Jersey silk. A knitted fabric made of silk yarn. Also made in 
artificial silk, called Tricolette. Durability depends upon ] 
quality of yam and closeness of stitch. It tends to “rough j 
up” with wear, also sags badly. Uses: gloves, sports wear, 
underwear, dresses. Knitted in tubular form 72", Double 
width, 36". 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


57 


Jusi (pr. hoo-see). Delicate fabric for dresses made in the 
Philippine Islands either from pure silk (in the gum) or silk 
with Manila hemp (abaca) or pineapple fibre. The yarns (of 
vegetable fibres) are tied end to end instead of being spun. 

Jute. A coarse, brown fibre obtained from the stalk of a plant 
in India. Used in burlap, cordage and the backing for 
cheap rugs and carpets. 

Kapock. See Fibre • Silk Fabrics. 

Kapok. A cotton-like silky fibre from a tree in East and West 
Indies. Called silk floss. Used for stuffing mattresses and 
upholstery, also the making of fibre silk. 

Kersey. A thick woolen cloth similar to melton but finished 
differently. May contain cotton warp with wool filling or 
have cotton mixed with yarn in wool. Usually all woolen 
yarns. Felted, napped and finished dull. Much like a 
heavy broadcloth without polish. Nap is not laid down. 
Piece-dyed. Uses: uniforms, overcoats. Weave—plain or 
twill. Width, 50", 54". 

Khaki (pr. kah-ke). An East Indian word meaning earth 
color. Refers to a fabric used in army clothing. 

Khaki (pr. kah-ke). A heavy tough, twilled cotton fabric in 
khaki or earth color used for uniforms. Government cloth 
conforms to rigid specifications. Many grades of khaki are 
made for civilian use. Uses: uniforms, outing clothes for 
men, women and children. Weave—twill. Width, 28". 

See Drilling, Khaki. 

Khaki Kool. See Sports silks. 

Kiddie cloth. See Gingham. 

Kimono flannel. A soft, napped cotton fabric usually 
printed. Nap on one side only. Also called flannelette. 
Uses: kimonos and dressing sacques. Weave plain. 
Width, 27", 30". 

Kimono silk. A light-weight printed silk. Usually plain 
weave, sometimes satin. Uses: kimonos, linings, curtains. 
Weave—plain or satin. Width, 32". 

Kindergarten cloth. See Gingham. 

Kitten's Ear Crepe. See Crepe Meteor, 




58 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Knit. Not woven of warp and filling but produced by inter¬ 
lacing of loops from one continuous yam. 

Krepe Knit. A trade name for a distinctive fabric made of 
fibre silk. Similar materials bear other trade names. Sur¬ 
face resembles fine terry. Made with a knit foundation like. 



Knit Fabric as in Jersey 


tricolette. A looped effect is produced with an extra yam 
caught into the fabric. The loops are very small. Weave— 
fancy knit. Width, 38". Uses: millinery, blouses, dresses. 

Kumsi Kumsa. See Sports silks. 

Ladies’ cloth. A dress flannel with a broadcloth finish. 
Lighter weight, less fulled and napped than broadcloth but 
similar in appearance. Very little used at present. Uses: 
dresses. Weave—plain or twill. Width, 50", 54". 






FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


59 


is 


Laine. French for wool. 

La Jerz. A heavy soft silk material resembling closely knitted 
fabric. Usually white or with colored stripes. Wears and 
washes very well. Uses: blouses, shirts. Weave—fancy. 

Width, 36" 

Lansdowne. A light-weight fabric with silk warp and fine 
worsted filling. Piece-dyed. Black, white and colors. It 
wears and launders well. Uses: dresses, negligees. Weave 
—twill. Width, 40". 


*T 










a«»K 




Leno or Fancy 


Lappet. A kind of weaving by which designs are embroidered 
on a fabric. Most dotted swiss is made by this method. 

Lawn. Name from Laon, France, where it originally was 
made of linen. A light, thin cotton material, usually sized 
and highly polished. Also called India linon. May have 
soft or stiff finish. Fine lawns may take the place of organ¬ 
dies. Coarse grade called “lining lawn.” White, dyed or 
printed. Uses: dresses, waists, curtains, finings. Weave— 
plain. Width, 24", 27", 36", 40". See India linon. 

Leno. A combination of gauze weave with other weaves. 
See Gauze. 


6o 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Liberty. Name from Liberty and Company of London and 
Paris. Applied to their fabrics. Also a general term for 
light-weight soft satins. 

Line. Long flax fibres as distinguished from the short ones 
called “tow.” 

Linen cambric. A plain, fine, smooth, white linen fabric. 
Uses: collars, cuffs, shirt bosoms, church embroidery, lunch- 
cloths, napkins, doilies. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 45". 

Linen finish suitings. A large class of fabrics many of which 
bear trade names. Heavy white or dyed material made of 
coarse yarns to imitate linen crash suitings. Mercerized 
cotton yarns and calendering processes are used to give 
linen-like finish. These fabrics vary in weight and finish. 
Usually launder and wear well. Tendency for white to 
yellow more than linen but does not muss as easily. Uses: 
skirts, uniforms, middies, aprons. Weave—plain. Width, 

36", 45". Some of the trade names are Linno Cloth , Indian 
Head (linen finish), Linene 9 Near Linen , Linnette t Ever fast 
Suiting (guaranteed fast color). 

Linene. See Linen finish suitings. 

Linnette. See Linen finish suitings. 

Linno cloth. See Linen finish suitings. 

Linters. Short cotton fibres which adhere to the seed after 
the first ginning. Useful for upholstering or manufacture of 
artificial silk. Sometimes used with good fibres in low 
grade yarns. 

Lisle. Originally a fine, hard linen thread made in Lisle, 
France. Now a fine, smooth cotton yarn for knitting pur¬ 
poses made from long staple cotton, spun tightly under 
water and singed or gassed. Used in lisle gloves, hosiery and 
underwear. 

Loading. See Weighting. 

Longcloth. A light-weight, unfinished, bleached muslin 
(cotton). It is free from starch or sizing. Sometimes gassed. 
Easy to sew and launders well. Uses: underwear and linings. 
Weave—plain. Width, 36", 45". Usually 36". 

Long staple. Refers to long fibres of cotton or wool. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


61 


Louisine. A light silk fabric with slightly pebbled or 
basket effect. Softer than plain taffeta. Uses: dresses and 
trimmings. Weave—plain (variation, two warp yarns to 
every filling. Each pick crosses two warps at once, 
making warp ribs). Width, 36", 40". 

Lustering. Finishing process which produces a lustre on 
yams or cloth by heat and pressure. 



Madras (Shirting) 


Lustrine. An extremely smooth cotton lining fabric. It 
resembles upholstery haircloth. Yams treated with lead 
solution and polished with heat and pressure, giving them a 
peculiar smoothness. Uses: sleeve linings for men’s over¬ 
coats. Weave—satin. Width, 40", 42". 

Mackinaw. Heavy woolen fabric. Two sides may differ in 
color and design. Fulled and napped. Usually contains 
large percentage of reclaimed wool. May have cotton warp 
or cotton mixed in yams. Yam-dyed. Usually plaids in 
dark colors. May be cravenetted. Very durable. Uses: 








62 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



Madras (Curtain) 














FABRIC DEFINITIONS 63 

mackinaws, overcoats. Weave—twill or double construc¬ 
tion. Width, 54", 56". 

Madras. First made in Madras, India, for sailors' head 
dresses. A variety of gingham. May be white or have colored 
stripe. Yam-dyed or printed. Quality varies from a 
coarse grade to highly mercerized and occasionally silk 
stripes. A variety of effects in fancy weaves and colored 
stripes. Finished soft. Excellent wearing and laundering 
qualities. Uses: shirts, shirtwaists, pajamas. Weave— 

plain or fancy. Width, 27", 32". 

Madras drapery is different from shirting madras. It is a 
thin, figured material with a shaggy effect on the surface. 
The figure is produced by an extra set of filling yams, usu¬ 
ally mercerized cotton or fibre silk. The long floats between 
the figures are sheared away. The shaggy effect is caused by 
the ends of the floating yams. White, piece-dyed or figures 
woven in color. Uses: hangings, curtains. Weave—gauze 
foundation, Jacquard pattern. Width, 36", 50". 

Maline (pr. mah-leen) originally spelled malines. Similar to 
bobbinet net only thinner and very stiff. Made of silk. 
Some of it is treated chemically to withstand moisture. 
Unless so treated it becomes gummy when wet due to stif¬ 
fening used. In white and colors. Uses: veils, millinery, 
dress trimming. Weave—net. Width, 24", 27". 

Manila hemp. See Abaca. 

Manufactured silk. See Artificial silk. 

Marquisette. French, means ‘ ‘ wrought silk for making lace. ’' 
Originally made of silk and known as grenadine. See 
Grenadine. Now made of cotton, mercerized cotton, silk, 
fibre silk, wool, and their intermixtures. An open, loose 
fabric with gauze construction. The term marquisette is 
now loosely applied to some fabrics of plain weave, coarser 
than voile. In other words, it is used interchangeably with 
scrim. White, piece-dyed or printed. Uses: curtains, 
dresses. Weave—gauze. Width, 36", 50". 

Marseilles (pr. mar-salz). Originally made in Marseilles, 
France. A heavy, double-faced white cotton cloth with a 





64 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


raised woven pattern. Formerly used for men s vests, 
dresses, etc. Now seen only in bed spreads. 

Matelasse (pr. mat-las-say). French, meaning to cushion or 
pad, hence a quilted surface produced on the loom. A 
figured or brocaded cloth having a raised pattern as if 
quilted or wadded. 

Melton. Named for Melton, England. A thick, smooth 
woolen fabric, heavier than broadcloth or Kersey. Re¬ 
sembles felt. May contain cotton warp and woolen yarns. 


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Marquisette (Gauze Weave) 

Much felted, napped, shorn close, and polished. Very strong 
fabric. Often cravenetted. Piece-dyed. Uses: uniforms, 
overcoats. Weave—plain or twill. Width, 54", 60". 
Mercerized dyed fabrics. Two-toned effects produced by weav¬ 
ing mercerized cotton yams of one color into a warp of another 
color. Often called “sunfast” or “sunproof” because they 
have been advertised as “fadeproof.” Uses: hangings. 
Weave—plain or gauze. Width, 50". Some of the tradenames 
are as follows: Sunfast, Stafford , Diana , Orinoko. Many of 

these fabrics carry a guarantee from the manufacturer. 














FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


65 


Mercerized. Chemical process used on cotton. Named for 
its originator, John Mercer, an English calico printer. 
Cotton yams are held under tension to prevent shrinking 
and are treated with caustic soda. The process is also 
applied to woven goods. Mercerized cotton becomes more 
lustrous, stronger and absorbs dye more readily. 

Merino. Cotton and wool mixed in knitted goods. Formerly 
referred to material made from very fine wool (from 
Merino sheep). 

Merveilleux (pr. mer-vay-lew). Lining fabric used princi¬ 
pally in men’s coats and overcoats. All silk or silk and 
cotton. Weave—twill. Width, 32", 36". 

Messaline. Named after Messalina, wife of the Roman Em¬ 
peror Claudius. A light-weight satin rather loose and thin. 
Made from fine yams. Yam- or piece-dyed. Wears well if 
pure silk yams are used and if relation of warp to filling is 
suitable. Uses: dresses, blouses, trimmings. Weave—- 

satin. Width, 36". 

Metal cloth. A decorative fabric used for trimmings and 
millinery. Made of cotton warp and metal filling yams. 
These yams are produced by winding a strip of tinsel 
around a cotton yam. Silver (dark and light), gold, antique 
gold, steel. Weave—plain. Width, 24", 36". 

Metalline. An imitation of metal cloth. Warp of silk in gum 
and filling yams of slightly twisted fibre silk which reflects 
light as if they were metallic. White and colors. Weave 
—plain. Width, 36". 

Middy twill. White twilled fabric of cotton or mercerized 
cotton. Similar to drilling or jean. Softer than denim. 
Wears and launders well. Uses: middies, children’s clothes. 
Weave—twill. Width, 36". 

Milanese (pr. mi-lan-ees). A knitted fabric similar to jersey 
but so constructed that it does not ravel. It is made on a 
warp knitting frame (called a Milanese loom) with bearded 
needles. Made in silk or cotton. Uses: underwear, gloves, 
hosiery. Width, 40". 

Milled. Same as fulled or felted. 

5 


66 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Mirror velvet. A highly finished velvet produced by calender¬ 
ing. Pile is pressed flat or in different directions. 

Mission cloth. See Monk’s cloth. 

Mohair. Practically the same as brilliantine also called 
Alpaca. See Serge (mohair). 

Mohair plush. Pile of mohair, back of cotton or wool. Cut or 
uncut pile. Patterns produced by combination of cut and 
uncut pile; also by yam-dyed designs. Two-toned effects 



Milanese 


due to pile of one color, back of another. Depth of pile may 
vary giving contrast in pattern. Uses: upholstering, hang¬ 
ings. Weave—pile. Width, 27", 50". See Plush. 

Moire (pr. mwar-ay). French meaning wave! Watered or 
clouded effect on silk. Taffeta may be used, but usually a 
ribbed type, as poplin, is finished in this way; produced by the 
flattening at intervals of the corded surface, the original 
roundness remaining in other places. Also, on plain or 
satin weaves by means of engraved rollers with heat and 




FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


6 7 



Moir6 
























68 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


pressure. Moire antique, a richer material, is produced by- 
folding the fabiic lengthwise face in. The selvages are 
stitched together, the fabric is dampened and passed between 
hot cylinders. This gives a watered or moire effect which ,is 
lasting and shows more pronounced and irregular markings 
than by the former method. Uses: coats, suits, trimmings. 
Width, 22", 40". 

Moleskin. See Prunella. 

Mommie. A Japanese unit of weight. The quality of pongee 



Monk’s Cloth (Basket Weave) 


and habutae is estimated on this basis. Two, four or six 
mommie means a light-weight, thin fabric; ten, twelve or 
fourteen mommie means a good grade of pongee or habutae. 
Above fourteen is extra heavy. 

Monk’s cloth. Rough canvas-like drapery material, made 
of heavy cotton yams often containing some flax, jute, 
hemp. Colors—natural, brown, blue, and green. Wears well. 
Uses: hangings, couch covers, upholstering. Weave— 



FABRIC DEFINITIONS 69 

basket. Width, 50". Called friar’s cloth, Druid’s cloth, 
cloister cloth, abbot cloth, mission cloth. 

Mordant. A chemical substance which helps the dye to 
unite with the fibre. 

Morning Glory. See Radium. 

Mosquito netting or mosquito bar. A coarse cotton gauze or 
net, heavily sized, plain or barred. Uses: canopies for beds 
or baby carriages, particularly in the South; also to screen 
windows. Described by number of mesh to the inch—as 
twelve or fourteen, the larger number being desirable. White, 
green, black. Weave—gauze. Width, 36", 63", 72". 

Mouseline de Soie (pr. moo-sa-leen-de-swa). Means silk 
muslin. Firmer than chiffon. Stiffer than silk voile. Not 
much used in recent years. It is now largely replaced by 
organdie. White and colors. Weave—plain. Width, 40", 48". 

Mummy or momie cloth. From the French momie , 
puckered or shriveled. An irregular weave, producing a 
pebbly surface similar to granite cloth in wool. Made in 
linen or cotton for towels and dresser runners and wider in 
white or colored for dress fabrics. Practically off the market. 
Weave-—fancy. Width, towels, 16" to 20"; dress goods, 32". 

Mungo. Wool reclaimed from woolen or milled fabrics. See 
Shoddy. 

Muslin. Named from the ancient city of Mosul where first 
made. A firm, plain white cotton fabric, stronger and 
heavier than Iongcloth. It has little sizing, except in the 
cheaper grades. The calendered finish disappears after 
washing. Heavy and wide muslin is called sheeting. Uses: 
underwear, household purposes. White or unbleached. 
Soft finish or hard finish. The latter used for uniforms. 
Weave—plain. Width, 36", 42", 45". See Sheeting. 

Nainsook. A fine, soft-finished white cotton fabric with a 
polish on one side. Nainsook is lighter in weight than long- 
cloth, is daintier and more highly finished. It is not as 
closely woven or as heavy as cambric but is heavier than 
batiste. A fine nainsook may be called a coarse batiste. 
Uses: infants’ wear, lingerie. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 
45", usually 36". 







70 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Nap. The downy or fuzzy appearance of cloth produced by 
raising the fibres to the surface. 

Net. Originally all nets and laces were made with a needle 
or with bobbins. Modem nets produce the same effect 
by machinery. 

Bobbinet net is machine-made of yams partially twisting 
around each other so as to produce hexagonal meshes. 
They appear round at a distance. Finer grades of bobbinet 
used for dresses and trimmings. Lace or braid often appli- 



Bobbinet Net 


qued on bobbinet for lace curtains. May be cotton or silk. 
Uses: curtains, linings, trimmings. White or colors. Width, 
36" and 72", also 54". 

Cable net has a coarse mesh. Not as satisfactory for curtains 
as bobbinet because it stretches badly when laundered. 
Not much used at present. 

Filet net has square'Spaces and imitates hand-made filet made 
by knotting the thread'-at the comers. Machine-made filet 
resembles gauze, weave, but differs from a marquisette by 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


71 





















72 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


having the threads locked at the comers of the square 
spaces. Plain or with figures woven in. Width, 36" to 45". 

Novelty nets for curtains show a variety of effects. Weave— 
novelty net or lace. Width, 36", 40", 45", 72". 

Net for linings. Like curtain net only usually finer and 
thinner, although some of the grades suitable for curtains 
are used for linings. White, flesh, ecru, cream, black. Vary¬ 
ing degrees of fineness. Weave—net. Width, 36", 72", 108". 
Net, silk for evening gowns. Like lining net only made of silk. 
May be soft or finished with a dressing. White, black and 
all colors. Uses: evening gowns, trimmings. Weave—net. 
Width, 72". 

Noils. The short fibres which come from the combing process 
in preparing combed yams as worsted. Short wool fibres 
are wool noils. There are silk noils, ramie noils, etc. 

Non-Flam. A process for making cotton goods non-inflam¬ 
mable. Invented by William H. Perkin, Manchester, 
England. Non-Flam not on the American market. 

Nub yam. A fancy yam having nubs or knots at intervals 
made by twisting one yam about another forming lumps or 
knotty places. Similar to ratine yams. 

Nun’s veiling. Originally made in black only and used for 
nuns’ veils. A soft light-weight fabric similar to voile only 
closer and softer. Worsted yams—also made in silk. Piece- 
dyed. Wears well. Uses: dresses, negligees. Weave— 

plain. Width, 36", 42". 

Oatmeal cloth. A fabric having a fancy weave. The surface 
resembles oatmeal paper. Usually in linen or cotton. 

Oilcloth. Table oilcloth has a foundation of muslin treated 
with oil, turpentine and umber. Often printed. Floor oil¬ 
cloth, thicker, made on burlap base, treated with linseed- 
oil mixed with ochre and other pigments. Printed, varnished. 

Oilcloth. A cotton fabric coated with a preparation of linseed 
oils and pigments. The softer and more pliable oilcloth gives 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


73 


better wear. A stiff, brittle grade breaks in handling. A 
variety of weights. Smooth, dull or pebbled finish. Plain 
or napped back (latter makes a heavy durable oilcloth). 
White, black, green or printed. Uses: table and shelf cover¬ 
ing, doilies, wall coverings, rain hats, dress trimming. 
Weave—plain. Width, 45", 54". 

Oiled silk. Thin silk soaked in boiled linseed oil and dried. 
It is waterproof and fairly pliable. 

Organdie or organdy. A thin, transparent, wiry muslin made 
of fine cotton yarns. White, piece-dyed or printed. The 
best grades are finished to retain their crispness and trans¬ 
parency after washing. Uses: dresses, neckwear, trim¬ 
mings. Weave—plain. Width, 36" to 70". 

Orinoko. See Mercerized dyed fabrics. 

Ottoman. A heavy corded silk fabric having larger and 
rounder ribs than faille. Ribs or filling usually cotton 
which is completely covered by warp. Yarn-dyed. Uses: 
coats, trimmings. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 40". 

Outing flannal. A soft, light-weight cotton fabric napped on 
both sides or on one side. Highly inflammable. Soils 
readily. Nap wears and washes off. White, solid colors and 
striped (yam-dyed). Uses: sleeping garments, children’s 
underwear, interlinings. Weave—plain or twill. Width, 
27", 32", 36". Daisy Cloth is a trade name for a kind of 
twilled outing flannel. 

Oxford gray. Any fabric, woven or knitted, of black, and 
white mixed yams. 

Oxford suiting or shirting. A variety of coarse weaves, mostly 
basket or loose twills, in mercerized cotton. True Oxford has 
basket weave. Heavy grade suitable for suits and skirts. 
Lighter weight for shirts. White or colors or stripes. Weave 
—basket or twill. Width, 32", 36". 

Paisley. Refers to designs printed or woven which imitate 
patterns in Paisley shawls. 

Palm Beach cloth. So named because originally made for 
wear at Palm Beach resorts. A light-weight, cool fabric. 
Yam-dyed, often striped. Launders well. Warp, cotton; 
filling, mohair or wiry wool. Excellent wearing quality. 


74 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Uses: men’s and women’s summer outing suits. Weave— 
plain. Width, 36". 

Panama. A smooth, firm worsted similar to nun’s veiling 
only closer and heavier. Worsted yams hard twisted. 
Piece-dyed. Very durable. Uses: dresses, skirts, suits. 
Weave—plain. Width, 48", 54". 

Panama cloth, (millinery fabric). A closely woven fabric of 
cotton similar to flexible net, wiry and elastic. Color is 
usually deep cream. Uses: brims and crowns of hats. 
Weave—basket. Width, 40". See Flexible net. 

Panne. A light-weight velvet with “laid” or flattened pile. 

Paper cambric. See Cambric (lining). 

Peau de Cygne (pr. po-de-seen). French, skin of swan. A 
closely woven silk having a lustrous surface. Every filling 
pick crosses two warp yams. The filling is seen on the sur¬ 
face. Uses: dresses. Weave—plain (variation). Width, 

36". 40". 

Peau de Soie (pr. po-de-swa). French, skin of silk. A strong, 
firm leather-like fabric with dull satiny surface. Woven 
like grosgrain but with the rib so fine that it produces plain, 
smooth twill face. Single or double face. Latter, better 
quality. A firm, heavy fabric similar to grosgrain in effect. 
Wears well. Uses: dresses, coats, trimmings, facings for 
men’s dress coats. Weave—twill. Width, 21", 36". 

Pepper and Salt. Mixed color effect in woolen and worsted 
produced with black and white dyes, one or more ply of 
white is twisted with one or more of black. 

Percale. Closely woven, printed cotton fabric, stiff finish. 
It is heavier, finer and wider than calico; also, more evenly 
pressed. Service depends on yam count. (See page 112.) 
Typical counts, 64x60, 72x76, 80x80. Printed either by 
direct or discharge method. May be all white. Uses: 
women’s and children’s dresses, men’s shirts, boys ’ blouses, 
aprons. Weave—plain. Width, 27", 32", 36". 

Percaline. A fine, thin piece-dyed cotton lining material, 
sized and highly calendered or moired. (See page 66.) White 
or colored. Uses: linings, petticoats. Weave—plain. 

Width, 36". 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


75 


Persian lawn. A fine, white, sheer, cotton fabric similar to 
India linon only thinner, finer, and with a high polish. 
StifTer and firmer than batiste. Not as sheer as organdie. 
Uses: waists, neckwear, dresses. Weave—plain. Width, 32". 

Pick. A filling or weft yam or one throw of the shuttle 
across the warp. 

Picot (pr. pee-co). French for splinter. A small loop on the 
edge of ribbon. A picot edge may also be produced by a 
hemstitching machine. 

Piece-dyed. Cloth dyed after weaving. 

Pile. A fabric having a surface made of upright ends as in fur. 
Pile may be made of extra warp yams as in velvets and 
plushes or of extra filling yams as in velveteens and cor¬ 
duroys. Pile may be uncut as Brussels carpet. Warp pile 
may cause loops on both sides as in terry (Turkish toweling). 
See illustration page 97, 

Pilot cloth. See Polo cloth. 

Pina cloth. Thin and transparent fabric made from pine¬ 
apple fibre in Philippine Islands. 

Pique. A stout cotton fabric having a raised surface of cords 
or welts from selvage to selvage. It is made with two sets 
of warps; one slack and containing twice as many yams as, 
the tightly drawn warp. The fine slack warp yams inter¬ 
weave with the single filling to form the plain face of the 
goods. The tightly drawn back warp interweaves with the 
face of the goods only at those intervals where the goods is to 
be drawn in to produce the cord effect, like the rows of 
stitching in quilting. Cords or welts vary in width and 
depth. Fancy mercerized stripes or figures may be intro¬ 
duced. Unlike Bedford cord where welts run lengthwise. 
Often Bedford cord in cotton is inaccurately termed pique. 
Uses: skirts, dresses, infants’ coats, cravats. Weave— 

fancy. Width, 27", 36". 

Plain weave. The simplest of the fundamental weaves. 
Each filling yam passes alternately under and over each 
warp yam. Examples: muslin, taffeta, voile. Same as tabby. 


76 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Plated. In knit goods, one yam as wool or silk appears on the 
face while yam of another and cheaper fibre is on the back 
or wrong side. 

Plisse (pr. plee-say). French for pleated. Refers to cloth 
having shirred or puckered effect. May be formed in weav¬ 
ing or by chemical shrinkage. Also the name for a trade 
marked cotton crepe. 

Plisse Crepe . See Crepe (cotton). 



Plain Weave as in Voile 


Plush. A cut or uncut pile fabric having a pile of greater 
depth than velvet. Usually /& inch or more. 

Plush—Mohair. A pile fabric having a variety of finishes. 
Mohair yams form the pile on a cotton or wool background. 
Cut pile is like velvet. Uncut pile is like Brussels carpet, 
showing loops on the surface. Embossed or pressed finish 





Brocaded Plush (Mohair) Cut and Uncut Pile 













78 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


shows part of pile laid flat which allows a figure or design to 
stand out in relief. A brocade effect may be obtained by 
shearing or burning the pile to form the background lower 
than the design. Various furs are imitated by dyeing, 
length and finish of pile. See Fur Fabrics. Quality varies 
according to firmness of weave and quality of mohair yams 
used in the pile. Uses: upholstery, lap robes, coats, muffs, 
scarfs, and coat trimmings. Weave—pile. Width, 50". 

Silk, a pile fabric having a longer pile than velvet, usually 
more than % inch in height. Plushes are usually warp pile 
fabrics having the pile loops carried over wires and cut with 
a knife blade fastened at the end of the wire, as in Wilton 
carpets. Many plushes are woven double, face to face, and 
cut apart while still on the loom by a small knife which 
moves back and forth like a shuttle. The ground weave 
may be plain, basket or twill. Weave—pile. Width, 40". 

Ply refers to number of single strands composing a yam or 
thread or to layers of cloth, as “a three-ply collar.” 

Poiret twill. A fine worsted material with a soft or hard 
finish. It is similar to gabardine only finer and smoother. 
Uses: same as gabardine. Weave—twill. Width, 54". 

Polka dot. Round printed, woven or embroidered dots of 
any size forming a surface pattern. 

Polly Prim. See Gingham. 

Polo cloth. Also called Pilot cloth. A heavy fabric for sports 
garments similar to old-fashioned golf cloth. Usually white. 
Two sides may differ in color and pattern. Yam-dyed. 
Fulled, napped and sometimes rubbed to give chinchilla 
effect. Uses: sports wear. Weave—double cloth in twill. 
Width, 54", 60". 

Pompadour. A small and dainty floral pattern, printed or 
woven. Named for Madame Pompadour. 

Pongee. A strong, somewhat rough silk in the natural color, 
a light tan. It is made from cocoons of wild silkworms, 
which feed on oak leaves and produce a coarser silk than the 
mulberry or cultivated silkworm. Because of the inequality 
in the output of wild silkworms, pongee varies greatly in 
color and texture. In drapery fabrics made of wild silk 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


79 


spun silk yams are often used, giving a rougher surface. 
Pongee originated in China and is now made mostly in 
Shantung province. Hence the name Shantung for a grade 
of pongee. Japanese pongee is used widely in this country. 
It has a smooth and more even surface than Chinese and 
does not contain rice or bean powder. The use of this starch 
in finishing gives Chinese pongee the characteristic dull sin- 
face so valued by artists. If an excessive amount of starches 
have been used (see Tests) the pongee is inferior. A good 
grade is the best wearing silk known. 

In China every family has its own loom and pongee is 
hand woven. Much modern pongee, however, is woven by 
machinery. Tussah, a Hindu word for a species of worm 
natural to India, also refers to a wild silkworm in China. 
Sometimes loosely used as a fabric name for a grade 
of pongee. 

Pongee is woven in pieces of varying length and is sold by 
weight. The grade of Japanese pongee is indicated by 
mommie weight. (Seep. 68.) The lustre is increased by wash¬ 
ing. It should be nearly dry when ironed, to prevent stiff¬ 
ness which is not natural to the fabric. Uses: blouses, 
shirts, undergarments, linings, curtains, pillows, art needle¬ 
work and hand dyeing. Weave—plain. Width, 27", 32". 
See Cotton Pongee and Soisette. 

Pongee (cotton). An imitation of silk pongee. Uneven yams 
produce a surface similar to pongee. Mercerized cotton or 
cotton and silk fabric. Pongee color or other colors. Uses: 
dresses, caps, children’s clothing. Weave—plain. Width, 32". 

Poplin (cotton). A ribbed fabric, usually mercerized. Filling 
yarns heavier and fewer to the inch than warp producing a 
rib effect. Launders and wears well unless of poor quality. 
Piece-dyed. Usually fades badly in the sun. Uses: 
dresses, uniforms, suits, hangings. Weave—plain. Width, 
27", 32", 36". See Poplin (wool). 

Poplin (silk). See Poplin (cotton) and Poplin (wool), also 
Bengaline. A ribbed silk having cords or filling of cotton, 
worsted or silk; worsted is commonly used (cotton filled 
poplin is inferior). Very durable. Does not wrinkle or 
gather dust. Yam-dyed. Uses: dresses, coats, suits, trim¬ 
mings. Weave—plain. Width, 40". 





8o ' FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



Poplin (wool). Named from “papeline” a 15th century fab¬ 
ric woven at Avignon, France, in compliment to the reign¬ 
ing pope. Originally made in silk for church vestments and 
hangings. Now made of worsted yarns. Similar to panama 
only has corded effect. Corded effect produced by heavy 
filling yam. Also made in silk and wool, in silk and cotton 


Printed Fabric (Discharge or Extract Printing) 

and all cotton. Piece-dyed. Excellent wearing quality. 
Does not wrinkle. Uses: dresses, skirts, suits. Weave— 
plain or corded. Width, 44", 48", 54". 

Print. General term for a printed cotton fabric. 

Printed linen drapery fabrics. Originally hand block printed, 
now mostly machine printed. Design and color largely 
determine cost. Weave—plain. Width, 30", 32", 36", $0". 

Printing. Stamping a pattern with dye on warp or fabric with 
wood block (hand method) or engraved copper rollers 
(machine method). 

1. Direct printing. The same principle as paper printing. 
A separate engraved roller is required for each color. 



FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


81 


2. Discharge or extract. Method used for dark prints 
having white or light designs. Cloth is piece-dyed. Color 
is discharged or bleached in spots leaving white design. 
Ex.: blue calico with white dots. Dots tend to drop out after 
wear if the cloth has been weakened by chemicals. 

3. Resist. Principle used in Batik dyeing (a hand process). 
Substances which will resist the dye are applied to cloth in 
designs. Then cloth is dipped in dye. “Resists, ” as wax or 
certain clays, are then removed. May be repeated for 
many-color effect. A combination of the above methods 
may be used. The resist process is somewhat 
used commercially. 

Prunella. A strong, smooth finished cloth. Worsted yams 
Yam-dyed. Plain or striped. Latter used for sports skirts. 
Uses: dress goods, heavy grade—women’s shoe tops. 
Formerly used for scholastic and ecclesiastical gowns. A 
fabric similar to prunella is called moleskin. Weave—twill 
or satin. Width, 42", 54". 

Pure dye. An unweighted dyed silk. 

Pussy Willow. See Radium. 

Radium. A fine, soft, closely woven fabric similar to good 
habutae but having greater lustre. Finer than taffeta. 
Washable. Usually free from mineral weighting. Some¬ 
times called wash taffeta. Pussy Willow , Morning Glory , 
tradenames. Uses: waists, dresses, linings, negligees. Weave 
—plain. Width 40". 

Rajah. Trade name for a pongee type of material. 

Ramie. A fibre, similar to flax, obtained from the stalk of a 
plant native to China. (Belongs to the nettle family.) 

Ratine, cotton (pr. ra-teen-ay). A loosely woven, rough 
appearing fabric of plain weave. Ratine effect is produced 
with specially prepared yams. One yam is twisted loosely 
about another so that it kinks up and looks nubby or knotty. 
Warp may be of plain yam with rating filling or both warp 
and filling may have the rough yams. Such a fabric tends 
to stretch and sag after laundering. Yam- or piece-dyed. 
Unfinished. Uses: dresses, suits, skirts. Weave—plain. 

Width, 27", 32", 36", 42", 54 ". 


82 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Ratine. Silk ratine appears from time to time under novelty 
names. Similar to wool or cotton rating. 

Ratine (wool). A strong fabric but tends to sag. Knots may 
pull badly. Uses: dresses and coats. Weave—plain. 

Width, 48", 54 ", 56", 58". 

Raw fibres. As “raw silk” meaning silk “in the gum;" before 
it is boiled off or twisted; “raw wool” is in the grease, before 
scouring; “raw cotton,” as it is sold in the bale, 
not manufactured. 



Rating 


Reclaimed wool. See Remanufactured wool. 

Recovered wool. See Remanufactured wool. 

Reeled silk. Silk filament wound directly from the cocoon 
into skeins. 

Regenerated wool. See Remanufactured wool. 

Remanufactured wool. Obtained by shredding woolen or 
worsted cloth and using the fibres again for making yam 
and cloth. 





FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


83 


Rep. (Probably a corruption of word “rib.”) Closely 
resembles poplin. Rep has a heavier cord (filling yam) and 
is a wider fabric used for hangings and upholstering. Cot¬ 
ton rep is usually mercerized. Piece-dyed or yam-dyed. 
Silk or wool may be used in combination with each other or 
with cotton. Variations in effect are produced by dyeing 
warp one color and filling another or by using an unevenly 
spun filling which gives variety in. texture. When a Jac¬ 
quard figure is introduced on a rep background it is called 
armure. Uses: upholstery and drapery purposes. Lighter 
weight, skirts and suits. Weave—plain. Width, 27", 

36/ 50". 

Resist printing. See Printing. 

Rib. 1. A ridge or cord effect in a fabric caused by heavy 
yams in the filling or warp, as poplin (heavy filling yams 
form cords). 2. Describes a stitch in knitting. 

Rice net (millinery fabric). An open, stiff cotton fabric with a 
square mesh woven like marquisette with the appearance of 
filet net. Stiffer than crinoline. Sometimes called Cape 
net. Uses: crowns and brims of hats. Weave—gauze. 
Width, 18", 36". 

Ripplette. See Seersucker. 

Romper cloth. See Gingham. 

Roshanara. See Sports silks. 

Rubber sheeting. A plain cotton fabric treated with a coating 
of rubber. Heavy weight usually maroon color and used 
for hospital sheeting. Medium weight, white, double faced, 
that is, coated on both sides. Light weight, white, single, 
faced used for infants’ pants and crib sheets. Weave— 
plain. Width, 27", 36", 54", usually 36". 

Rubberized. Silk or cotton fabric made waterproof by a 
coating of rubber, as raincoat material. 

Ruffanuff. See Sports silks. 

Russian crash. See Crash. 

Sateen or satine is a mercerized cotton fabric in satin 
weave which in the better grades resembles real satin. A 
true sateen has the filling on the surface while the better 
qualities as Venetians have the warp on the surface. White, 
dyed or printed. Some lining sateens have a twill weave. 


84 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


A heavy striped variety used for men’s coat sleeve linings 
is very firm. Printed or yarn-dyed. Width of latter, 40". 
Weave—satin. Uses: linings, petticoats, draperies, bloomers, 
comforters. Width, 30", 32", 36". 

Satin. The name of a basic weave and a large class of silk 
fabrics. Satin weave produces the most lustrous silk fabric. 



Satin Weave as in Sateen 


It is also employed in linen (satin damask), in mercerized 
cotton sateens and some wool fabrics. The warp yams are 
arranged to completely conceal the filling, thus making a 
smooth, shiny surface. The cheaper grades have cotton 
filling which is thrown to the back. Satins may be made 
with plain (taffeta) or twill backs. Double-faced satins are 
made in satin weave with two sets of warp and one filling. 
Brocaded satin has Jacquard figures woven upon a satin 
background. A light-weight satin is called messaline. Uses: 






FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


85 


dresses, linings, trimmings. Width, 27", 36". See diagram 
below. 

Satins, dress. Many are known by trade names having special 
characteristics. Novelty satins made from fibre silk as 
Baronette Satin , Georgette Satin. 

Satin, duchess, or satin duchesse. Originally a rich quality 
of all-silk satin. Now a term covering many grades of 
dress satin. Uses: dresses. Width, 36". 



Satin Weave as in Satin 


Satin, lining. Usually lighter in weight than dress satin. 

May be practically a messaline. Width, 36", 40". See 
• Merveilleux. 

Satin, wash. A satin finished for laundering. White and 
flesh color. May have cotton back. Uses: blouses, bras¬ 
sieres, undergarments. Width, 36", 













86 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Satin weave. One of the fundamental weaves. Occurs most 
often in silk fabrics. Characterized by smooth surface 
reflecting light. Effect caused by throwing warp to surface. 
In sateen the filling is thrown to the surface. 

Schappe. The European equivalent of our term “spun silk." 

Schreinerized. A variety of calendering. Cloth is passed 
between steel rollers covered with finely engraved lines, as 
many as 400 to 700 per inch, under pressure of over two 
tons. The fine lines are pressed into the fabric causing the 
surface to reflect fight and thus producing a high lustre. It 
resembles mercerized cotton but the lustre is not permanent. 



Seersucker 


Scrim. An open, coarse fabric with a little sizing. It is 
coarser than voile. Plain or with fancy woven or printed 
border. Usually mercerized. Uses: curtains, needlework. 
Weave—plain. Width, 36", 50". 

Scroop. The rustle or crunch of silk. Increased by treat¬ 
ment with dilute acids. 























































FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


87 


Sea Island. The most valuable kind of cotton, which grows on 
islands off the southern coast of the United States. Noted 
for its fineness, length and silky appearance. Used for fine 
yams and delicate fabrics. 

Sealskin cloth. A pile fabric imitating seal skin. Pile of 
wild silk. 

Seco. See Silk and Cotton Fabrics. 

Seersucker. Light-weight cotton fabric, with alternating 
crinkled stripes. This is done by holding alternate groups 
of warp yams slack in the loom. In some grades the warp 



Serge (Check) 


yams in the crinkled stripes are heavier than the plain one. 
White or yam-dyed. A little dressing. May be laundered 
without ironing. A trade name for a similar fabric is 
Ripplette . Uses: children’s clothing, house-dresses. Old 
use, tan or gray and white for office coats. Weave—plain. 
Width, 29" or 32". 

Sello. See Silk and Cotton Fabrics. 


88 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Selvage or selvedge. Also called “list." The edge of any- 
woven fabric. 

Serge. French for twill. A hard or soft finished worsted 
material of light, medium or heavy weight. Most univer¬ 
sally used of all wool fabrics. Appears the same on wrong 
and right sides except for the direction of the twill. The 
right side of serge shows the twill running from the upper 
right-hand selvage diagonally down to the left. On the 
wrong side its direction is from left to right. Storm serge is 
a coarse, heavy variety. French serge is very fine and 
smooth. Worsted yams. Rarely has cotton warp. Yam- 
or piece-dyed. Wears well but becomes shiny. Heavier 
grades often cravenetted. Light-weight grades are made in 
narrow widths. Uses: dresses, suits, coats, caps, Weave— 
twill. Width, 36", 40", 42", 44", 46", 50", 52", 54 ", 56", 60". 

Serge (cotton lining). A mercerized lining used for lining 
coats. Black, gray, brown. Weave—twill. Width, 32". 

Serge (mohair). A lining fabric for men’s overcoats. Maybe 
all wool or cotton warp with mohair filling. Weave—twill. 

Width, 32". 

Serge (silk). See Surah. 

Sericin. The natural gummy substance surrounding the 
silk fibre (fibroin). Removed by “boiling off." 

Serpentine Crepe. See Crepe. 

Shaker flannel. Originally made by communities of Shakers. 
Cotton or cotton and wool fabric well napped on both sides. 
Sometimes all wool. Bleached or unbleached or dyed. Usu¬ 
ally gray. May be softer, looser yams and thicker cloth 
than outing flannel. Also called domet. Uses: underwear, 
interlinings, diapers. Weave—plain or twill. Width 26" 

30", 36". 

Shantung. See Pongee. 

Sheer. Very thin, diaphanous; as sheer organdie. 

Sheeting (cotton). See Muslin. Heavy white or unbleached 
muslin, any width between 36" and 108". Referred to by 
quarter yards as 4/4, 4-quarters = 36". Better qualities are 
made from 2 ply yams both warp and filling, and have firm, 
close weave with little dressing. Poor grades contain much 
sizing. Twills are used for greater strength in hospital sheets. 







FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


89 


Uses: sheets, pillow cases, uniforms, aprons. Weave—plain or 
twill. Width, 4/4, 42", 5/4, 50", 6/4, 7/4, 8/4, 9/4, 
10/4, 100". 

Sheeting. Linen sheeting is like cotton sheeting except for its 
composition. Linen sheets stay clean longer than cotton, 
feel smoother, keep whiter and look more beautiful but 
they wrinkle badly and hold moisture which is objection¬ 
able in a damp climate. Tightly twisted uniform yams are 
desirable. Linen sheeting is used largely now for lunch- 
cloths, napkins, skirts and uniforms. Weave—plain. 
Width, 72". 

Shepherd’s plaid or Shepherd’s check. Name of all fabrics 
with small even checks in black and white. Made in all 
wool, all cotton, and various combinations of wool and 
cotton. Uses: men’s suits in heavy weight, but largely for 
children’s wear, also women’s suits, dresses. Weave— 
usually twill (serge); sometimes plain or basket. Width, 

36",V, 48", 52", 54', 58'. 

Sherette. See Flaxon 

Shirting silks (also called tub silks). Wash silks usually in 
plain weave with satin stripe in color. Fancy weave as 
La Jerz sometimes is used. Durability depends upon 
character of yams and closeness of weave. Uses: men’s 
shirts, women’s blouses. Weave—plain or fancy v/ith satin 
stripe. Width, 36", 40". 

Shoddy. See Remanufactured wool. Shoddy comes from 
worsted cloth and is superior to mungo (from woolen cloth). 

Shot. I. The same as pick. 2. Changeable effect, as in silk 
produced by use of filling in different colors from warp. 

Showerproof. 1. Process which renders fabric waterproof 
or spotproof. 2. Registered trade mark for a fabric having 
this finish. 

Shrinkage. The amount of contraction to which most fabrics 
are subjected from the loom to the finished state. In wash 
cotton, the shortened length after washing is due to releas¬ 
ing the tension of yams which have been stretched and 
sized. See Felting. 

Sicilian or Sicilienne. See Brilliantine. 

Silence cloth. See Felt. 


90 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Silesia. Originally made in Silesia, a province of Prussia. 
Closely woven, light-weight, smoothly finished cotton fabric. 
White, piece-dyed or yam-dyed (striped). Uses: dress 
linings, heavy grade for trousers pockets. Weave—twill. 

Width, 27", 28", 30". 

Silk and cotton fabrics. Woven of cotton warp, spun silk 
filling. Sold under trade names. Durable if filling yams of 
sufficient strength are used. Otherwise they split badly 
under strain. Fancy weaves and prints used for dress goods. 
White and all colors. May be printed. Weave—plain or 
Jacquard. Uses: linings, dresses, curtains, undergarments. 
Width, 27", 32", 36". Known by various trade names as 
A. B. C., Seco, Aledo, Tezzo, Sello. 

Silkaline. A thin, soft, glazed, cotton fabric, plain or printed. 
Lustre is lost in washing. Does not soil easily. Uses: 
comforters, finings, curtains. Weave—plain. Width, 36". 

Silk floss. See Kapok. 

Silk gauze. See Fibre silk fabrics. 

Silk shoddy. Resembles wool shoddy in origin. Consists of 
remanufactured fibres from fibre silk. Used in 
knitted goods. 

Singeing. See Gassfhg. 

Sizing. Finishing process. Yams and cloth treated with 
stiffening substance to give strength, stiffness and smooth¬ 
ness. Size may contain starch (potato, wheat, com, sago), 
glue, casein, gelatin, gluten, minerals, wax, gum, paraffin, 
and antiseptic substances. 

Soisette (pr. swa-zet). A trade named fabric smoother and 
finer than cotton pongee. Highly mercerized. Launders 
exceptionally well. White and plain colors. Uses: dresses, 
finings, curtains, pajamas, shirts, children’s clothes. Weave 
—plain. Width, 32". 

Souple. A dull effect obtained in silk dyeing by removing only 
a portion of the gum. 

Spinning. The process of twisting fibres together to produce 
a yam or thread. 

Sports silk. A wide variety of novelties used for sports 
clothes many of which are known by trade names. Fibre 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


9i 


silk is often combined with natural silk or cotton. A few of 
the trade names are Khaki kool, Fan-ta-si , Kumsi Kumsa , 
Rujfanuff, Roshanara , etc. 

Spun silk. A yam spun from short lengths of carded waste 
silk in much the same manner as cotton or wool yam. It 
is less strong and less lustrous than reeled silk, also cheaper. 

Stafford. See Mercerized Dyed Fabrics. 

Staple. 1. Trade term concerned with the length of cotton 
or wool fibre. 2. Refers to fabrics as serge or satin, sold 
year after year, in contrast to novelties. 

Stock dyeing. Process of dyeing fibres in raw state 
before spinning. 

Stockinette. Elastic fabric, flat or tubular, made on a knit¬ 
ting machine. Used for infants’ sleeping garments 
and diapers. 

Suiting. A general term which applies to a variety of weaves 
and finishes. Many novelties are introduced from time to 
time. Light weight for women’s wear, heavier for men's 
suits. Weave—plain, twill or fancy. Width, 48", 52", 
54 ", 56 ". 

Sunfast materials. See Mercerized dyed fabrics. 

Surah. A light, soft twilled silk, often woven in plaid. A 
heavy grade of twilled silk is called “silk serge.” Wears 
very well unless heavily weighted. Uses: waists, dresses. 
Weave—twill. Width, 36". 

Surf Cloth. See Beach Cloth. 

Surgeon’s gauze. See Hospital Gauze. 

Swatch. A strip of cloth used as a sample. 

Swiss. So called because first made in Switzerland. A fine, 
sheer, cotton fabric which may be plain or embroidered 
(lappet weave) in dots or figures. White or piece-dyed or 
embroidered in colors. Design may be introduced by swivel 
weaving which produces shaggy surface on one side. Com¬ 
position dot or figure may be applied chemically. 
This is not always permanent, See Composition Dot, 



92 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Swiss is crisp or stiff without a lustre. Uses: dresses, aprons, 
curtains. Weave—plain with swivel or lappet design. 
Width, 28", 32", 36". 

Curtain swiss may be plain, dotted or figures. It is always 
stiff or crisp in appearance with no lustre or polish. Colored 
dots or figures are sometimes used on a white ground. 
Launders well, but tends to shrink. Weave—p lain with 
swivel or lappet patterns. Width, 36". 



Dotted Swiss (Lappet Design) 


Swivel. A pattern of dots or spots as in swiss or small figures 
woven in ribbon. Differs from embroidery or lappet weav¬ 
ing. Swivel .patterns are formed by tiny shuttles carrying 
extra weft, which weaves a figure (often in contrasting yams 
or colors) while the regular weft or filling is operating. 
The wrong side has a shaggy appearance where ends of 
swivel weft have been cut. 

Tabby. Same as plain weave (taffeta or muslin). Warp and 
filling alternate. Also called 1/1 weave. 








FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


93 


Table felt. See Felt. 

Table padding. A quilted cotton material. Uses: same 
as table felt. Width, 64", 72". 

Taffeta (from the Persian word, taftan—to spin). (Silk). A 
plain, closely woven, very smooth silk fabric, the warp and 
filling of the same or nearly the same count. May have a 
small figure introduced on plain background. Skein- or piece- 
dyed. It is apt to be heavily weighted. Tends to split 



Dotted Swiss (Swivel Design) 


badly. Chiffon taffeta is softer than plain taffeta. Uses: 
dresses, trimmings, .millinery, hangings. Weave—plain. 
Width, 36", 40". 

Taffeta (wool). A fine, smooth, closely woven, light-weight wool 
fabric, much lighter and finer than panama. Similar to 
nun's veiling, but has a smoother surface and harder twisted 
yams. Like wool batiste, only closer and stronger. Washes 
and wears excellently. Plain color or light stripes. Often 

. made with cotton warp and fine wool filling. Uses: men's 





94 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


shirts, women’s and children’s dresses. Weave—plain. 

Width, 40", 52". 

Tapestry. Originally a hand woven fabric made with a 
bobbin worked from the wrong side on a warp stretched 
vertically or horizontally. The bobbin was carried only to 
the edge of the pattern and not from selvage to selvage. 
The Gobelin tapestries in France are most famous. Used 
for wall hangings in cathedrals and palaces. The same 
methods are used in making tapestries to-day. Original 
designs are employed and historic patterns are reproduced. 
Power loom drapery fabrics imitate real or bobbin tapes¬ 
tries. The wrong side is smoother than in a hand woven 
tapestry. Wool, cotton and wool, or all cotton are used. 
Use: upholstery. Weave—Jacquard. Width, 50". 

Tapestry. A yam-dyed, figured fabric composed of two sets of 
warp and filling yarns, woven on a Jacquard loom. Imitates 
hand woven tapestries. 

Tarlatan. A thin, very open cotton fabric highly sized and 
polished. About as coarse as thin cheesecloth, only very 
wiry and transparent. It has a square mesh. White or 
colors. Will not launder. Very perishable. Uses: pageant 
costumes, doll dresses, Christmas stockings, bed canopies 
instead of mosquito netting, millinery purposes. Weave— 
plain. Width, 54", 60". 

Tartan. Originally Scotch plaids in woolens or worsted with 
distinctive designs and colors for each Highland clan. Now, 
plaid wool or wool and cotton goods. 

Teasel. A prickly bur used in woolen cloth manufacture for 
raising a nap. Nap is raised on inferior fabrics by use of 
fine wire brushes. 

Tentering. A finishing process. Cloth is attached by the 
selvage on tenter hooks in a frame where it is stretched the 
desired width and dried. Small holes in selvage sometimes 
show marks of hooks. 

Terry or Turkish toweling. A cotton fabric covered with 
loops on one or both sides. It requires two sets of warp and 
one of filling. One set of warp is held taut while weaving, 
the other set is released to form loops. When woven in linen 


; fnamw 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


95 



Tapestry 









































96 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


(rare) or bleached cotton in narrow widths, it is called 
Turkish toweling. Made in checks, stripes or plaids for 
bathrobes and slippers. Good Turkish towels have two 
loops (called double loop terry). A poorer quality with less 
absorbing surface has single loops on surface. Fancy towels 
made of mercerized yams with colored Jacquard borders have 
least absorbing power. Mercerized loops are single and far 
apart. Wash cloths, which imitate terry, have loops 
fastened in the knitted fabric which pull out like a chain 
stitch when a yam breaks. Turkish towels are often woven 
towel length and hemmed. Weave—looped pile. Width, 
18", 20", 22", 24". 

Terry for draperies is dyed or printed. Reversible. Rich 
texture. Tends to hold dust. Uses: hangings, pillows, couch 
covers. Weave—looped pile. Width, 36", 50". 

Texture. The surface effect of cloth. 

Tezzo. See Silk and Cotton Fabrics. 

Theatrical gauze. A loose, open linen fabric. More trans¬ 
parent than scrim. Originally used for making stage scenery. 
Desirable for window curtains because of transparency and 
beautiful texture. Natural linen color. Not commonly 
found in department stores. Uses: theatrical scenery, 
window curtains. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 72". 

Thread. Made of cotton, silk or linen for sewing purposes. 
Contains three or more hard spun yams twisted. Soft or 
glazed finish. 

Three-quarter goods. Measuring twenty-seven inches. 

Ticking. A strong twilled cotton fabric with yarn-dyed stripes 
lengthwise in blue, red, brown, etc. Similar to denim in 
texture. Often herringbone twill in stripes. It should be 
light in weight and feather proof. Uses: pillows, mattresses. 
Weave—twill. Width, 27", 30", 36", usually 30". See 
Art Ticking. 

Tied and dyed effects. A hand method of producing patterns 
on cloth. Tied portions which resist the dye make the 
design. Imitated in machine printing. 

Tissue. See Gingham. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


97 



Turkish Towel or Terry (Looped Pile) 




FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



Tied and Dyed Fabric 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


99 


Tissue. Any light weight, open fabric. 

Top. The longer wool fibres which are separated from the 
short ones (noils) by combing. Used for worsted yams. 

Tow. The shorter flax fibres separated by combing from the 
longer fibres (line). 

Toweling. A term which covers the following fabrics: Crash, 
birdseye, damask, glass, honeycomb, huck, twill, Turkish. 
See these terms. Toweling is often woven in linen with a 
stripe of cotton near the selvage. Such a towel could not be 
sold for all linen. Yet, its usefulness is not lessened by the 
small amount of cotton, which lowers the manufacturing 
cost. Towels are often made for hotels or institutions with 
the name woven in a colored band or in white. Un¬ 
bleached towels are less expensive than bleached and 
should wear longer. Cotton and union towels are harder to 
launder, they do not let go of the dirt as easily and are more 
difficult to keep clean than linen. Durability depends upon 
the quality of yams and weave. A cotton huck may out¬ 
wear an all-linen crash towel. If linen yams are made of 
short fibres and loosely woven or weakened by chemical 
bleaching, the fabric will not give good service. 

Tricolette (pr. tree-co-let). Fabric knitted from artificial or 
fibre silk. See Jersey. 

Tricot (pr. tree-co). French for knitted. Old name for jersey 
cloth. See Jersey. Also a fancy knit fabric used for corsets 
and brassieres. 

Tricot. A kind of soft flannel with a weave showing a narrow 
inconspicuous stripe like a knitted effect. Name applied 
to other weaves with soft finish. Uses: waists, petticoats. 
Weave—fancy. Width, 27", 54". Practically off the market. 

Tricot (pr. tree-co). French for a knitted fabric. See 
Wool Fabrics. 

Tricotine. A modification of tricot. It resembles gabardine, 
but is woven with a double twill. Wears well but grows 
shiny. A very fine tricotine (wool) resembles knitted 
goods. Uses: suits and dresses. Weave—twill. Width, 54". 


100 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Tubing. May be cotton or linen for pillow cases. Called 
tubing because it is woven in tube form. Weave—plain. 
Width 40", 42", 45". 

Tulle. A general term meaning a fine silk net. Similar to 
maline, but having softer finish. Adapted to draping while 
maline makes stiff frills and bows on millinery or dress 
trimmings. Use: chiefly for wedding veils, also for party 
gowns. Weave—net. Width, 36", 72", 108". 



Tricolette 


Turkey red. A fast red on cotton made from vegetable 
madder or modem synthetic madder. Madder dye once 
brought from Turkey. 

Turkish toweling. See Terry. 

Tussah. See Pongee. 

Tweed. Probably a corruption of twills. Originally an all- 
wool home spun made in Scotland. A rough, coarse cloth 
made from heavy worsted yams containing wiry and heavy 
wools. Stock- or yam-dyed. Very durable. Uses: coats 

































FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


IOI 


and suitings, suitable for sports wear. Weave—plain, twill 
or herringbone twill. Typical designs are Gun Club (a 
large check over a small one) and Glen Check (similar to 
shepherd’s check but in a variety of color combinations). 
Width, 54". 

Twill. A fundamental weave admitting of many variations. 
Found in serge, denim, Canton flannel. Intersection of 
yarns- form lines running to the right or left diagonally 
across the fabric. 



Tweed 


Umbrella silk. See Gloria. 

Union. Fabrics having warp and filling of different fibres, as 
union huck has cotton warp, linen filling. 

Upholstery velour. See Velour, also Plush and Velvet. 

Upland cotton. A distinct type of cotton comprising the 
great bulk of cotton produced in the United States, and 
belonging to a species distinct from the sea island and 
Egyptian cotton. 








102 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



Twill Weave as in Denim 



Twill Weave as in Serge 




FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


103 


Vegetable silk. See Kapok. 

Velour (Fr. pr. ve-loor). A general term for pile fabrics. 
Used for draperies. Usually a short pile. Mercerized 
cotton pile most common. Mohair and silk is used. Typical 
velour is a durable material and rich looking. Uses: hang¬ 
ings, couch covers, upholstery. Various effects may be 
produced by pressing pile flat or in figures. Weave—pile. 
Width, 50". 

Velour (wool). So called because of velvety texture. A soft 
woolen fabric with a nap raised and sheared to absorb light 
like dull velvet. Quality depends upon quality of woolen 
yarns used. Uses: dresses, coats. A good velour wears 
well. The cheaper grades “wear off” badly and wrinkle. 
All velours catch lint and dust. Weave—twill. Width, 
50 ", 54 ". 

Velvet. A broad and inclusive term which covers all warp 
pile fabrics except plush and terry. Plush is a variety of 
velvet with a pile longer than 1/8 inch. Velveteen is a 
general term that should cover all weft pile fabrics though 
it is usually defined as meaning a cotton velvet. Most 
velvets have a cotton back. All silk velvets have a s ilk 
back. The ground weave may be plain, satin or twill, 
formed by warp and filling. The pile loops are carried over 
wires and cut with a knife blade fastened at the end of 
the wire or by shearing. Many plushes are woven double, 
face to face, and cut apart while still on the loom by a small 
knife which moves back and forth like a shuttle. Velve¬ 
teens and corduroys are weft or filling , pile fabrics, having 
the pile loops or floats cut by a knife after weaving. 
Brocaded velvet. See Brocade. 

Chiffon velvet. Light weight, pile laid flat by pressing. 
Width, 40", 50". 

Costume velvet. Wide velveteen (cotton velvet of good 
quality) is called costume velvet. Width, 27", 36", 38", 
40", 44". 

Millinery or hat velvet. Usually called Lyons velvet. Gen¬ 
erally has an erect pile somewhat deeper than costume 


104 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


velvet. In poorer grades pile is not thick. Always silk pile. 

Width, 17X", 18", 19", 24". 

Panne velvet. A heavier, closer pile than chiffon velvet. 
A high grade fabric having pile laid flat and pressed to give 
lustre. Weave—pile. Width, 18", 36". 

Paon velvet. Heavier than panne with more pile which is 
also laid flat. Used for millinery purposes. Width, 18". 

Velveteen. A short, pile fabric of cotton made in imitation 
of silk velvet. Pile made by extra set of filling yams while 
in velvet pile is made by extra set of warp yams. Pile is 
highly mercerized in better grades. Wide velveteen or 
heavy quality called costume velvet. Good qualities are 
very durable. Uses: dresses, coats, hats, linings for drawers 
and cases. Weave—pile. Width, 18", 20 n , 21". Costume 
velvet—See Velvet. 

Venetian cloth. A fine, soft, woolen fabric, resembles Pru¬ 
nella, only softer. Somewhat fulled. Piece-dyed. Uses: 
dresses, suits. Weave—twill or warp satin. Width, 
52 ", 54 ". 

Venetian. See Sateen. A highly mercerized cotton fabric 
heavier and superior to sateen. It is a warp face satin. 
White or plain colors. Same as Farmer's satin. Uses: 
linings, petticoats, aprons, pillows. Weave—satin. Width, 
36". Better grades for lining men’s overcoats. Weave— 
satin or twill or combination in stripes. Width, 32", 
36 ", 54 "- 

Vicuna. The wool from a small goat-like animal in South 
America. Very rare. Sometimes this name is given to a 
soft wool fabric. 

Vigoureux. Named for the inventor. Process of printing 
worsted fibres spinning to give a mixed color effect. 

Virgin wool. Any wool which has not been previously manu¬ 
factured into cloth. 

Viscose. See Artificial Silk. One of the processes by which 
art silk is produced. Also called the “bleached sul¬ 
phite wood pulp process.” Used extensively in 
American manufacture. 

Viyellci, See Flannel (baby). 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


105 


Voile. A thin, transparent cotton material made from gassed 
yams tightly twisted. Good quality wears and launders 
well. Fine soft grades are difficult to handle in dressmaking. 
Has soft, clinging effect. Dyed or printed. Uses: dresses, 
waists, curtains. Weave—plain. Width, 36", 40". 

Curtain voile is finer than scrim and usually a little heavier 
than dress voile. Often mercerized. White, ivory and ecru. 
Weave—plain. Width, 36", 40", 50". 

Voile (silk). The same as a good grade of chiffon cloth. 
Plain or printed. Durable for the purpose. Uses: blouses, 
gowns. Weave—plain or novelty stripe or figure. 

Width, 40". 

Voile (wool). An open mesh, wiry fabric. Worsted yarns 
tightly twisted and gassed. Piece-dyed. In wool, silk or 
cotton. Wool voile does not wrinkle, sheds dust. In a good 
grade, gives excellent wear. Uses: dresses. Weave—plain. 
Very open. Width, 42", 50". 

Wale. 1. Refers to raised line or ridge in twill, as “wide wale 
serge.” Also, to cord in corduroy. 2. A term used for 
knitting. Indicates the longitudinal line of loops in contrast 
with the “course” which means a row of loops side by 
side on the needles. 

Warp. Set of yams which run lengthwise in a piece of cloth. 
See End. 

Warp pile. Fabrics woven so that an extra set of warp yams 
form the pile. 

Warp print. See Chin6. 

Waste silk. The tangled filament in the cocoon which cannot 
be reeled. For every pound of reeled silk, there is approxi¬ 
mately 1% pounds of waste silk. It is carded and spun like 
cotton, used for filling in silk and cotton fabrics, also for 
knit goods. 

Watering. See Moir6. 

Waterproofing. Process of rendering fabrics waterproof or 
moisture repellent. Most so-called waterproof fabrics are 
only moisture repellent. Produced by treatment with 



io6 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


aluminium salts. Actual waterproofing done by impreg¬ 
nating fabric with solution of crude rubber or preparation of 
oils and paraffin. 

Weave. The interlacing of warp and filling yarns with each 
other to form a cloth. 

Web. Refers to warp or partly woven cloth in the loom. 

Weft. Same as woof or filling. See Pick. 

Weighting. Process of adding any substance to increase the 
natural weight of a fabric. Cotton may be weighted by the 
addition of size. Silk may be weighted or “loaded” with 
vegetable substances as sugar solution or rice powder 
(pongee). Mineral weighting is most commonly used. 
This method employs salts of metals as chlorides or sul¬ 
phates of iron, tin, aluminium or magnesium. 

Whip cord. A twill with pronounced diagonal cords. See 
Gabardine. 

Wigan. A canvas-like cotton fabric, closer than crinoline, in 
varying degrees of stiffness. Colors, black, white, gray and 
tan. Uses: interb'ning for front of men’s coats. Weave— 
plain. Width, 34". 

Wild silk. Fibres produced by various silkworms not cul¬ 
tivated. Fibres vary in quality and color. Usually tan as 
in pongee. 

Willow (millinery fabric). A 2-plv material made from fine 
strips of woody fibre woven and pasted to crinoline. There 
are three grades; one stiff, one medium stiff and one without 
crinoline back. Originally made in Italy and Bohemia but 
since the War largely in Japan. Uses: hat frames for velvet 
and cloth hats. Made in sheets, 24"x3o". 

Woof. Same as weft or filling. 

Woolen. 1. Cloth which has been fulled or shrunken after 
weaving, and finished by brushing or napping, shearing 
and polishing to a greater or less degree. Broadcloth and 
mackinaw are examples. 2. Yam used for knitting or 
weaving made from fibres (usually short and curly) which 
have been mixed loosely before spinning. They tend to 
shrink more than worsted yams. 


FABRIC DEFINITIONS 


107 


Worsted. 1. Cloth made from worsted yarns as serge and 
gabardine. There is little finish after weaving which leaves 
a smooth surface with distinct weave. 2. Yam made from 
fibres (preferably long and hair-like) which have been laid 
parallel before spinning. It is possible to combine some 
short fibres with long ones, but tme worsted contains long 
wools. Worsted yams are superior to woolen for knitting 
and carpets. They are necessary to produce a worsted type 
of cloth (see above). 

Yam. A continuous strand of spun fibres used for weaving or 
knitting. Distinguished from thread, composed of two or 
more yams (ply) united by twisting. Thread is used for 
sewing, not for w T eaving. 

Yam-dyed. Fabrics, the yams of which were dyed before 
weaving. 

Zibeline. Derived from “zibeline” meaning fur or pelt of a 
sable. A heavy woolen fabric having a long hairy nap laid 
down on the surface. Woolen yams containing a variety of 
wools, some mohair or other lustrous wool included. Stock- 
or yam-dyed. Fulled, napped, brushed. Durable, depend¬ 
ing upon quality. Hairs tend to wear off the surface. 
Uses: coats and suits. Weave—twill. Width, 54". 











~ 





















































PART II 


\ 


TEXTILE TESTS 







































































































































II 


TEXTILE TESTS 
Practical Analysis of Fabrics 

Introduction 

A few simple, easily applied tests* may be of great service 
in purchasing fabrics. 

At the yard goods counter the casual buyer is apt to give 
thought to quality, which implies durability. However, the 
growing use of ready-to-wear garments calls for even a 
keener sense of values on the part of the purchaser. 

Testing textiles is generally .supposed to be a process by 
which adulteration is discovered. Cotton handkerchiefs 
have been sold by unscrupulous or ignorant persons for linen; 
an “all wool" blanket may be found to have cotton warp; 
a “silk" sweater may prove to be fibre silk. These and 
other striking instances have focussed attention upon com¬ 
position or purity of goods, but this is only one of the many 
factors in testing. 

Important as it is to answer truthfully the query, “Is the 
doth all wool?" it may be just as necessary to discover 
whether it will wrinkle, fade, or spot. 

Likewise, two grades of the same type of material may be 
compared for fineness or strength, or both; for example, 
two grades of nainsook. 

Use of Fabric Important 

Every estimate of the value of a fabric must take into 
account its particular use. For example, tarlatan, a net-like 
fabric (p. 94), is not strong, will not launder and will fade; 
yet, tarlatan is adapted to many uses for which other materials 

*A thorough analysis may include all the following tests in comparing 
two or more fabrics: width, weight per square yard, character, size and 
twist of yam, composition of yarns on percentage basis, character of 
fibres, yarn count, weave, tensile strength, and abrasion tests, deter¬ 
mination of dressing, filling or weighting, fading tests (fastness to light 
washing, perspiration, spotting) and shrinkage. 


Ill 



112 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


are unfitted. The warm, knitted, wool sweater, so valuable in 
damp climates and for indoor wear, is a wrap in name only 
for a cold, windy ride. 

Yam* Count in Cloth 

In comparing two grades of cloth for durability, the close¬ 
ness of weave is an important factor. This is determined by 
counting the number of warp and filling yams per inch. It is 
usually done with a small “linen tester ” or “cloth glass. ” p. 113. 
This magnifying glass has an opening at the base X or an 
inch square. By counting the number of yams in this space 
and multiplying by 4 or 2 respectively the count per inch is 
obtained. The accompanying illustration shows a type of 
thread counting micrometer which facilitates the work. 

For practice in making the yam count, it is desirable to 
choose two fabrics whose texture is so different that the con¬ 
trast in yam count will be easily understood. 

Take, for example, calicof and batiste. Count (using tester) 
the number of warp yams in one inch of calico at five dif¬ 
ferent places. Record the average. Repeat for filling yarns. 
Compare with warp and filling count (taken in the same 
way) in batiste. Count F4 inch space and multiply by 4. 


Calico Batiste 


Warp 17 Filling 

13 

Warp 20 Filling 18 

17 

13 

21 18 

16 

12 

21 18 

17 

13 

00 

M 

17 

13 

21 18 

Average 17x4=68 

13x4 = 52 

21x4 = 84 18x4 


Calico 68 x 52 - Difference 16 
Batiste 84 x 72 - Difference 12 


♦Yarn—The so-called threads of which cloth is made are technically 
named “yams” to distinguish them from sewing thread composed of 
many yarns twisted together. The yams running lengthwise of the 
cloth (parallel with the selvage) are called warp yarns or warp ends, and 
the crosswise yams (those filled in by the shuttle in weaving) are called 
“filling” or filling yams. Filling is also called woof or weft. 

For convenience and accuracy the term * ‘ yarn ” will be used. 

fCalico and batiste each vary widely in yam count depending upon 
the grade of fabric. A typical medium grade of each was chosen for 
this count. 




TEXTILE TESTS 


ii3 




Thread Counting Micrometer 


8 


114 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


The following points will be observed. Batiste has a 
greater number of warp and filling yams to the inch than 
calico. The relation of warp to filling is closer in batiste I 
(84x72) than in calico (68x52). In other words, the strength of 
batiste lengthwise and crosswise is more nearly uniform 
than in calico where the filling yams are fewer in relation to 
warp. The calico has less strength crosswise than lengthwise 
(other factors being equal). It will further be noted that the 
yams in calico are uneven in size, are lumpy and fuzzy. 
Those in batiste are more uniform in size and smoothness. 

The above observations explain the difference in the cost 
of the two fabrics. 

After contrasting calico and batiste, two grades of the 
same fabric, as sheeting, may be compared to determine which 
has the higher yam count. This test is useful in checking up on 
goods ordered from specified sample. 

Yarn Strength* 

Yam count tells relative closeness of weave and relative 
number of warp yams to filling yams. It does not reveal the 
strength of yams. This knowledge is important where cloth is 
subjected to continual strain or where a cotton fabric is fre¬ 
quently laundered. 

Take, for example, voile and cheesecloth. The difference 
between them is mainly a difference in character of yams. 
The weave is the same. Voile has smooth, tightly twisted , 
uniform yams. Cheesecloth is made of fuzzy, loosely spun 
yarns varying in diameter. The latter require shorter fibres 
and less expensive methods of preparation. Voile, though 
thin, may be very strong, while strength is not demanded of 
cheesecloth. 

Thus, it appears that neither size of yams nor closeness of 
weave insure durability. The strength of yam is determined 
by the quality of fibres and the tightness of twist. 

A single-ply yam of long fibres, however tightly twisted, 
cannot have the strength of a 2-plv or 3-ply yam of equal 

*In technical laboratories, there are instruments for determining the 
tensile strength of yams and fabrics. 



TEXTILE TESTS 


Ii 5 

specifications. This fact applies to yam of which cloth is 
woven or knitted as well as to sewing thread or rope. For ex¬ 
ample, cotton upholstery rep, a strong material, is made of two- 
ply yams while cotton poplin is made of single-ply yams. 

Significance of Finish 

Many cotton fabrics and most table linens are given elaborate 
finishing processes after they leave the loom. In fact, the 
warp yams before weaving are treated with a thin starch in 
order that they may be strengthened for the excessive strain of 
rapid weaving. This is true of the thinnest cheesecloth which 
apparently contains no starch. Fabrics may be treated to a 
size made of starch (wheat, potato, rice, com, or sago) to 
which is added a filler as chalk, china clay or magnesium. 
When pressed between heavy rollers (see Calendering p. 25), 
the cloth presents a firm appearance, and may or may not be 
substantial underneath. 

Sizing and a high polish are not always deceptive. They are 
essential to certain fabrics as lining cambric and paper muslin. 

Likewise, the finishing process on table linen (see Beetling 
p. 20), is necessary to produce the smooth, leather-like surface 
on a good table damask. Unless table linen has been put 
through this process, the laundry cannot bring out the charac¬ 
teristic polish on the cloth. 

Fabric Composition 

Types 

Mixtures of Wool and Cotton 

It is to be expected that certain fabrics have cotton warp, 
as brilliantine, mohair, palm beach cloth. A well-known trade 
marked cloth is advertised as “non-shrinking” and sold as 
50 per cent. wool. In this case (Viyella flannel), the cotton 
and wool are mixed before spinning. 

Low-grade suitings and coatings show by the price, as well 
as appearance and touch, that cotton has been used. An inex¬ 
pensive serge containing cotton warp is sold as such. On close 
inspection the cotton yams are apparent. They do not reflect 


Ii6 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


the light as wool does. The two kinds of fibres do not take 
the dye equally. 

Mixtures of Wool and Silk 

Silk and wool are combined in poplin, bengaline, silk warp 
henrietta, silk warp flannel and in many novelty fabrics. The 
warp is usually silk and the filling wool. In brocades the fill¬ 
ing may be .silk which is thrown to the surface in a design. 
Mixtures of Silk and Cotton 

There is a large class of fabrics which combine cotton warp 
with spun silk filling. Cotton crepe de chine is of this type; 
also trade marked fabrics as Seco, A. B. C., Aledo , etc. Many 
novelty effects occur in fancy stripes and Jacquard patterns. 
Mixtures of Fibre Silk and Other Fibres 

Fibre silk is frequently combined with cotton in knitted and 
woven fabrics. Sweaters of fibre silk with mercerized cotton 
on the wrong side are said to be plated. Baronette satin or 
Georgette satin are trade marked fabrics having warp of fibre 
silk and filling (on the back) of cotton. 

Fibre silk is sometimes combined with natural or worm silk 
as in metalline, a gauze-like material used for trimmings. The 
warp is of silk in the gum, and the filling (dyed yellow for gold 
effect or gray for silver effect) is of fibre silk, untwisted in 
yam so that it reflects light as if it were metallic. 

Mixtures of Linen and Cotton 

Cotton and linen are combined by using cotton warp and 
linen filling. Such fabrics are known as “union.” This is a 
very common mixture. 

Other Mixtures 

Many other combinations of fibres are made and many 
more are possible. Wild silk is woven with cultivated silk. 
Jute, flax, hemp, and cotton are mixed in yams. Novelty 
weaves in wool goods offer the greatest opportunity of mixtures 
of fibres. In one piece of cloth as many as five lands of fibres 
have been found, to say nothing of the various grades of 
one fibre. 


TEXTILE TESTS 


H 7 


Tests for Mixed Fibres* 

Wool Mixtures 

Characteristics of Wool 

Wool has a springiness, or resiliency, which cotton does not 
possess. There is a distinct hardness and heaviness about wool 
cloth which contains cotton. Its presence may not lessen the 
strength or wearing quality of the cloth. In fact a tightly spun 
cotton yam has greater strength than a light-weight, loose wool 
yam. Otherwise, they are too light and loose to be durable. 

Cotton mixtures are usually inferior to all wool because they 
tend to soil easily, to fade and wrinkle. They give less warmth 
and are not so beautiful. 

A trained sense of touch recognizes the characteristic 
“feel’' of an all-wool fabric and also distinguishes quality in 
wool. Same fabrics because of their very nature demand the 
use of soft delicate. fibres. Challis is such a material, while 
tweed contains coarse, wiry wools. 

In the same weave of cloth, two qualities may produce a 
different effect. For example, a soft, light-weight, smooth 
French serge may be contrasted with a coarse, wiry storm 
serge. A high-grade zibeline may be soft to the touch and rich 
in appearance, due to the quality of wool used, while a cheap 
grade of the same fabric may be harsh and unattractive 
because of poorly remanufactured fibres. 

Examination of Fibres 

The first, easiest and most practical test is to ravel yams 
from the fabric and untwist them in order to observe the fibres. 
This will show the kind of fibres better than breaking the yam 
abruptly. For example, the wool filling in silk poplin is so 
tightly twisted that it breaks like cotton. However, if the 
yam is merely untwisted, the fibres appear kinky and show a 
spring or elasticity absent in cotton. Likewise, the difference 
between worm silk and fibre silk may be determined by the 
way in which the fibres break after the yam has been untwisted. 
(See p. 120.) 

*Whether a fabric contains mixed fibres or one kind of fibre, these 
tests are useful in identifying the composition of the cloth. For example, 
it may be a question of whether the material is all linen or all cotton. 




n8 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


In ready-made garments, it is often possible to get a yarn 
from a seam or pocket where a sample for a chemical test 
could not be obtained. The breaking test is not infallible. If 
wool and cotton are mixed in the yam another method must 
be used. 

In the case of a highly napped blanket, the cotton nap may 
be distinguished from wool by moistening the finger and 
brushing it across the nap. Cotton will lie down while wool 
will spring back and not absorb the moisture. 

Burning of Yams 

If a cotton warp or cotton stripes in the warp have been 
woven with wool filling it is very easy to ravel the cloth and 
bum each set of yams. Cotton burns with a flash, like paper, 
leaving no deposit. Wool bums more slowly, forming a bead 
at the end and giving off an odor like burning hair or feathers. 
The odor is due to the sulphur in its composition. 

Chemical Test 

If the wool and cotton have been mixed in the yarn , it is 
impossible to judge by the burning test. It is much more 
difficult to distinguish cotton in cloth when combined in 
this way. 

A simple test may be made at home by placing the sample 
(any convenient size) in a granite pan or cup and covering 
with a lye solution. Use i level tablespoon of lye to a ^ pint 
of water. Cover and boil 15 minutes. The wool will be 
completely destroyed and the cotton left. If an all-wool piece 
is tried, it will be entirely dissolved. Shepherd’s checks com¬ 
bine cotton with wool in various ways. This test reveals the 
amount and arrangement of cotton. In many covert cloths 
the fine white yam is of cotton twisted around wool. This 
may be untwisted and burned or the sample may be boiled 
in lye. 

In the laboratory, a 5 per cent, solution of caustic potash 
(usually potassium hydroxide) is used. The sample may be 
boiled in a beaker or evaporating dish. If covered with a 
watch glass, the solution will not concentrate by evaporation. 

For quantitative analysis giving percentage of cotton and 
wool, see Woolman and McGowan, “Textiles”, p. 299. 


TEXTILE TESTS 


119 


Microscopic Test 

There are cases where it is impracticable to obtain a sample 
for a boiling test, as in knitted garments. Fibres may be taken 
from the yams in different places for microscopic mounts and a 
fair estimate made of the composition. Not more than 5 or 
6 fibres should be placed on the glass at once. Twenty mounts 
or more are often necessary to decide upon an average. This 
method is too slow except where the other test cannot be 
made. However, the microscope is employed for deter¬ 
mining the kind of wool fibres used. Much experience is re¬ 
quired before making generalizations as to the character of 
the wool. 

Wool and Silk 

Examination of Fibres 

Separate warp and filling. Take each yam and untwist 
until the fibres are parallel and can be drawn apart. Wool 
shows a kinkiness or waviness absent in silk. Silk will be 
finer and more lustrous. Burning will not differentiate wool 
from silk, because they are both animal fibres and bum the 
same way (unless the silk is weighted). 

Silk and Cotton 

Burning Yarns 

Combinations of silk and cotton (cotton warp and silk filling 
as in cotton crepe de chine or silk warp and cotton filling as in 
poplin) are easy to identify. Separate warp and filling yams 
and bum them as in tests for wool and cotton mixtures. The 
cotton will flash up quickly, leaving no deposit, while the silk 
will bum more slowly and form a bead at the end. 

Fibre Silk 

Characteristics of Fibre Silk 

There are reasons why fibre silk should not pass for natural 
or worm silk. It is less expensive and it is less strong. On 
the other hand, fibre silk deserves its own place as a textile 
material. It has properties which make it desirable for certain 
purposes. It is not to be despised but rather welcomed as a 
fifth textile fibre, the product of the chemist's skill. 




120 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Because it is manufactured from cellulose (cotton or wood 
pulp), it has the nature of the vegetable fibres. It can never be 
like natural silk because its chemical composition is different. 
The two fibres can usually be distinguished by physical char¬ 
acteristics. Fibre or artificial silk has a higher lustre or gloss 
than natural silk. If two pieces of cloth or skeins of yam are 
compared (other factors being equal), the fibre silk is heavier. 
If two fibres or filaments are compared (even with the naked 
eye), fibre silk is much coarser (larger in diameter) than natural 
silk. It feels stiffer, is less elastic. It breaks more readily, 
showing lack of strength. This is evident in embroidery 
thread of fibre silk which has a tendency to rough up with 
wear. A peculiar quality, not found in any of the natural 
fibres, is its loss of strength when wet and complete regain of 
strength when dried. 

This fact must be borne in mind when washing materials 
made of fibre silk. They should be handled very carefully 
while wet. 

Fibre silk in white has an advantage over worm silk where 
materials must be washed frequently. Combinations of fibre 
silk and cotton, as fancy striped madras or voile, also white 
fibre silk hose, will remain white after repeated washings, 
whereas the natural silk would turn yellow. 


Examination of Fibres 

For practice, compare fibre silk and worm silk. The latter 
is much finer and softer. Untwist yams from the fabric in 
question and notice the size and stiffness of the fibres. It is 
not always possible to tell with certainty unless the yams 
are burned. 

Burning Yarns 

Fibre silk yams when burned act like cotton, flaming up 
instantly with no deposit, while natural silk bums like wool, 
(animal fibre) leaving a bead at the end (exception—see 
Weighting in Silk, p. 122). 

Chemical Test 

The chemical test (caustic alkali) used for wool and cotton 
mixtures may be applied here. Fibre silk will not be dissolved 


TEXTILE TESTS 


121 


but remains like cotton; while worm silk, being animal matter 
is destroyed like wool. 

This test is seldom necessary because burning the yarns 
will tell the story. 

Microscopic Test 

In case a yam cannot be obtained for testing (a knitted 
sweater, for example), a few fibres may be taken from the 
surface and observed under the microscope. Manufactured 
silk is 3 or 4 times as large as natural silk and shows char¬ 
acteristic marks. 

Linen and Cotton 

Moisture Test 

The old fashioned, but hygienically questionable, test with 
saliva was useful in the absence of starchy dressing. The cus¬ 
tom was to moisten the finger on the tongue and place it under 
the sample. If the moisture came through quickly and spread 
rapidly, it was linen, otherwise cotton. 

A moisture test is still good provided the linen is unfinished. 
A drop of water will be rapidly absorbed by handkerchief 
linen, embroidery or dress linen. Usually a stiff and polished 
table linen will respond to this test only after the dressing has 
been rubbed out. 

Examination of Yarns 

It is fairly easy to recognize union (cotton warp, linen filling) 
toweling or table linen if two sides can be fringed. The 
cotton yams appear dead white, dull and soft while the linen 
are stiffer, more lustrous and often creamy in color. An ex¬ 
perienced person can readily tell by touch and appearance 
where cotton and linen have been thus combined. Very 
rarely are the two fibres twisted together in the yam. 

It is not always easy to determine whether a piece of cloth is 
linen or cotton. All linens do not have equal lustre. In fact 
some mercerized fabrics have a much higher lustre than linens 
they seek to imitate. This is true of linen finish suitings and 
also of fine mercerized handkerchiefs. 

Technical authorities describe many tests for linen. Most 
of them tell how to identify a union fabric (cotton warp, 


122 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


linen filling—the cotton yams appear dull and limp while the 
linen yams are more lustrous and stiff). This is fairly simple 
without the aid of chemicals, if the cloth can be fringed. 
Examination of Fibres 

Linen yams, if untwisted and slowly drawn apart, the fibres 
end in a long point of varying lengths, while cotton breaks 
more abruptly with a flaring, brush-like end. This test is not 
dependable because a highly mercerized yam behaves like 
linen in this respect. 

Microscopic Test 

The only reliable test when in doubt about linens is to use 
the microscope. It is not at all difficult to tell cotton fibres 
which are spirally twisted from the long, straight, jointed linen 
fibres. Linen buyers of experience are very good judges of 
composition and quality. The most deceptive class of merchan¬ 
dise is lace. Mercerized yams, when tightly twisted and made 
by hand into bobbin lace, will confuse even an expert. The 
microscope is the court of highest appeal. 

Tests for Filling, Dressing or Weighting* 

Cotton or Linen Fabrics 

A poor grade of cotton fabric, as a light-weight sheeting, or a 
loose linen table cloth may be made to appear heavy and firm 
because of sizing and finish. By holding the material up to the 
light, it is easy to distinguish a close, firm weave from a loose 
one held together by starch. When a comer of the fabric is 
rubbed, the dry starch or filling comes out and shows what will 
be left after laundering. Tearing often reveals a fine dust of 
starch. When heavily sized cloth is used on power sewing 
machines in a factory, it is necessary to brush away the pile of 
starch from the needle frequently. 

Weighting in Silk 
Character of Pure Silk 

Pure silk is the strongest textile fibre known. Many silk 
fabrics do not justify this statement. They split or drop to 

♦Filling and dressing are terms to denote the use of some substance to 
fill up the spaces between the yarns and make the cloth appear heavier, as 
sizing and filling in cotton goods. Weighting usually refers to mineral 
weighting in silks. See p.123. 



TEXTILE TESTS 


123 


pieces after brief wear. They are not pure silk but have 
absorbed (usually in the dyeing operation) chemicals which, 
when dried in the silk, crystallize and cut the fibres; or when 
in contact with perspiration or salt air, decompose, destroying 
the fibre. 

Mineral Weighting 

Most modern silks are weighted, i. e., contain metallic salts 
as iron sulphate or stannous (tin) chloride. Some of these silks 
give satisfactory wear. One authority described it as a 
“chemical fine art” to weight silks and not destroy their 
strength. Chemically weighted silk may give reasonable 
wear but it is not comparable with old fashioned silk (pure) 
which was often in Service upwards of twenty years. 

Contrary to popular opinion, a stiff silk, as taffeta, does not 
necessarily indicate the presence of mineral weighting, nor a 
soft silk , as messaline, always imply the absence of weighting. 

Wash silk as a class are usually not weighted. One can 
be reasonably sure that china silk, habutai, pongee, silk 
shirting, crepe de chine and georgette will be free from min¬ 
eral weighting. Fabrics "which combine silk and cotton, as 
cotton back satin, or silk and wool, as poplin, have pure silk 
warp as a rule. 

Burning Test 

An unweighted silk bums like wool, forming a bead at the 
end, while weighted silk retains its form. The mineral deposit 
on the yarns prevents the flame from reaching the silk, there¬ 
fore the silk does not bum. Unfortunately, this test will not 
reveal the lasting quality of the silk,] for a piece may refuse to 
bum and yet give reasonable wear. It merely distinguishes a 
pure silk from one which contains mineral weighting. 
Weighting in Filling Yarns 

When silk, splits lengthwise, it has evidently been yam-dyed 
and the filling yams only have received the bath of metallic 
salts. The warp yams must be strong to stand the strain of 
weaving. Therefore, it is customary to weight the filling. 

In burning the sample, the warp and filling yams may be 
tested separately to show whether both have been weighted 
with mineral salts. 


124 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Vegetable Weighting 

Metallic salts are not the only substances used to add 
weight to silk. Sugar, glucose, gelatin, glycerin, and paraffin 
are used for this purpose and to produce certain effects in 
finishing. Such treatment does not weaken the silk. 

Pongee, although free from mineral weighting, is often filled 
with a dressing of rice powder to make it appear heavy. Rice 
powder is used to finish pongee and give it the characteristic 
dull surface. If an excessive amount is put into a loosely 
woven pongee, it amounts to adulteration. This can be de¬ 
tected by brushing the pongee across a dark wool sleeve. A 
fine flour-like dust is deposited on the wool. Also by rubbing 
a comer of the pongee, the quality of the actual fabric 
is disclosed. 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TESTS 
Household Articles 

Table Linen 

“It gets prettier every time it’s laundered,” was the old- 
time guarantee for table linen. No stronger endorsement can 
be made to-day. The laundry proves the worth of the linen. 

A smooth, heavy appearing damask may be reduced to a 
limp, sleazy rough-surfaced cloth in one washing. 

The simplest way to discover the fabric minus the finish 
is to rub briskly a comer of the material, releasing the starch ] 
and other filling. Quality in damask depends upon fine, smooth 
yams and close weave. A loosely woven piece, starched \ 
and polished to look heavy, will lose its beauty on washing. 

The great fear of the housewife is that she will be unable to 
identify pure linen. Her anxiety is justified, for table damasks 
are now made in mercerized cotton which could deceive any 
but an expert. 

The shopper finds here protection in the reputable merchant 
who knows pure linen from union or mercerized cotton. To 
meet his responsibility, however, he must train his salespeople 
to know fabric qualities. Salesperson and shopper, alike, 
need more textile knowledge. 


TEXTILE TESTS 


125 


Moreover, an all-linen table cloth is not always a wise pur¬ 
chase. If the choice rests between a thin, loose, heavily sized 
linen and a mercerized cloth, the latter would prove more 
durable. A very unsatisfactory purchase is a loosely woven 
type of low-grade linen, with long overshot yams in the pattern 
which rough up in ironing. 

Sometimes a mercerized tablecloth which has been hemmed 
and laundered (with a slight amount of starch in the rinse 
water) is exhibited to show the great attractiveness of the 
cotton material. The inexperienced shopper does not foresee 
the tendency of the cloth to yellow and the difficulty in 
removing stains. 

Colored damasks (mercerized or plain cotton) are usually 
made in checked patterns of red, blue or yellow and white. 
They are coarse and easily washed. 

Towels 

Huck towels are absorbent because of the weave. The un¬ 
even surface presents a large absorbing area. linen consumes 
the most moisture, union the next, and cotton the least. When 
these three types of towels are laid side by side, it is not difficult 
to select the all-linen and the all-cotton. Other factors being 
equal, the linen will be heavier, stiffer and more lustrous. If 
the union huck can be fringed, exposing the warp and filling, 
the warp will appear dull and lifeless to the touch while the 
filling will be lustrous and stiff. 

. After the three types have been laundered their character¬ 
istics are much more marked. 

In selecting a bath towel it is wise to pay for absorbing sur¬ 
face. The Christmas-present-variety of mercerized Turkish 
towel with fancy woven border in colors often blinds the 
purchaser to facts. This type of towel has single loops of 
tightly twisted cotton yams sparsely scattered over the sur¬ 
face. Its absorbing power is low compared with a thick, soft 
terry woven with double loops of softly spun yams. The latter 
is more desirable. It may be bought by the yard or 


ready-made. 

An imitation terry is found occasionally 
is inferior in durability to the original 


in wash cloths. It 
(see Terry, p. 96). 


126 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


This counterfeit is produced by chain stitch loops on a knitted 
background. 

Bed Linen 

“Bed linen” is a term surviving from the days when linen 
was in common usage. The smoothness and firmness of linen 
is the standard for our sheets and pillow cases. The better 
grades of cotton sheeting, when properly mangled, approach 
this ideal. In contrast is the loosely woven, heavily filled 
muslin which sheds a fine dust of starch in tearing. The 
remains after washing suggest cheesecloth. Between these 
extremes are many grades of sheeting valuable according 
to the yam count, weight, and freedom from starch, or 
other filling. 

Blankets 


Wool blankets are desirable because of lightness and warmth. 
If it were not for its tendency to shrink and harden in washing, 
or the alternative expense of dry cleaning, the all-wool blanket 
would be ideal. However, its cost makes it prohibitive for 
the majority. 

Cotton blankets are napped so attractively that they often 
give the appearance of wool. To test, pass a moistened finger 
over the nap—cotton will be laid flat and lifeless, while wool will 
spring back. Use and washing will soon show the inferiority 
of the cotton blanket, because the nap will pack down and 
wear off. 

Besides the all-wool and the cotton blanket there are many 
combinations of wool and cotton which give satisfaction. A 
very desirable type is the cotton warp with wool filling, napped. 
It is easy to identify this construction. By looking along the 
selvage of the blanket one can see the fine cotton warp appear¬ 
ing at intervals in the cream fluffy wool filling. This can be 
demonstrated by pulling some of the nap from the surface 
and burning with a match (see Burning Test, p. 118). The 
happy feature here is the placing of wool (which does not soil 
readily or pack down) on the surface. 


Another type blends wool and cotton of varying proportions 
in the yam. The blanket is woven and napped bringing both 
wool and cotton to the surface. It is difficult to determine the 





TEXTILE TESTS 


127 


percentage of wool and cotton in such a mixture, except by a 
chemical test which necessitates cutting the blanket. How¬ 
ever, the relative proportion of the two fibres may be shown 
with the aid of the microscope. 

Curtains 

Curtains are seldom bought for permanent use. Unlike 
linens they are not purchased with the thought of passing on to 
future generations. Yet, window coverings are subjected to 
many severe strains, as the rotting action of sunlight, the 
unavoidable whipping against screen wire and frequent cleans¬ 
ing, necessitated, in the main, by coal dust. 

For these reasons the ideal curtain material would be dirt 
resistant, strong, and able to retain its transparency after 
laundering. Mercerized fabrics, such as marquisette, scrim 
and net, have gone far toward meeting some of these require¬ 
ments. The mercerized yams are stronger than ordinary 
cotton, and their smoothness tends to prevent them from re¬ 
taining dust particles. 

A typical mercerized material is soft finished and should not 
be starched. These clinging fabrics in their first freshness are 
beautiful, but cannot compete with time-honored swiss for 
retaining the original appearance after repeated washings. 
The fact that, swiss is white gives it an advantage in laundering 
over the usual cream or ecru marquisette and scrim. 

The better grades of madras, in white or colored patterns, 
retain their esthetic quality after cleansing, but unfortunately, 
the shaggy surface of madras makes it a veritable dust catcher. 

An open net, as coarse filet, is desirable for transparency 
and cleanliness. 

The material is not always to blame for the scalloped effect 
on the hem of laundered curtains. In most wash goods, it is 
advisable to remove the selvage and hem the sides to avoid 
sagging. Allowance should always be made for shrinkage. 
Drying on stretchers is a safe way to prevent uneven edges. 

Silk or wool hangings soil less readily and in general wear 
much better than cotton. The inevitable sunlight and dry 
cleaning are their worst enemies. The lining commonly used 
for hangings tends to protect them from fading and the deteri¬ 
orating action of sunlight. 




128 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


COTTON FABRICS FOR WEARING APPAREL 

General Considerations 

Fading 

“Will it fade? Will it shrink?” are the first questions a 
woman asks in buying house dresses and aprons, whether they 
be factory made, or purchased by the yard. 

Fast color is a relative term. A material may be fast to 
washing and not to sunlight, or vice versa. In general, one 
may say that yam-dyed fabrics, as gingham and madras, are 
more fast to washing and sunlight than piece-dyed goods, as 
colored lawns and poplins. The dye is able to penetrate the 
fibres more completely when applied to the yarns before 
weaving than afterward. Printed fabrics, as calico and percale, 
vary greatly in their degree of fastness. Light prints, having a 
white background and a small figure in color, give unusual 
satisfaction in this respect. In blue and white calico, and per¬ 
cale, the permanence of color is usually in direct proportion to 
the cost of the goods. A blue background with a small white 
dot or figure is made by the discharge, or sometimes, by the 
resist method of printing (see p. 40). Materials are not al¬ 
ways weakened by this process, but, in frequent cases, the 
dropping out of the white spots shows that the action of chemi¬ 
cals has been injurious. The fastness of all colored cotton 
goods depends largely upon laundry methods. Strong washing 
powders, unsuitable water and careless hanging in the sun will 
result in dimmed colors where this might have been avoided 
with proper care. 

Shrinking 

Gingham, with all its virtues, is prone to shrink. From 
the finest soft dress gingham to the coarsest loose apron 
goods will be found a graded scale of shrinking. 

Coarseness and looseness of weave promise marked shrink¬ 
age. A fine, closely woven gingham or other material does 
not shrink conspicuously. However, it is always safe to make 
some allowance. In home sewing the practise of shrinking the 
goods before cutting is commendable. 

Shirting 

The majority of shirts and shirting are bought to withstand 
hard wear. The working man does not consider esthetic 


TEXTILE TESTS 


129 


quality, nor does he greatly value fastness of dye. The famil¬ 
iar blue gingham or black sateen is destined for service. 
The lasting feature of these shirts is generally in direct relation 
to the price (when trade conditions are normal.) 

The other class of shirts, those worn by men living indoors, is 
more difficult to choose. The universal complaint against 
these finer materials is their tendency to split in the laundry. 
This weakness is due to the unsuitable relation between warp 
and filling. The worst example is found in a type of corded 
material where heavy warp yarns wear away the too fine 
filling yams which cover them and present the well-known 
shabby effect around collar and cuffs. 

Many high-grade shirt factories have testing instruments by 
which they determine the strength of both the warp and 
filling in the fabrics they use. Thus, their brands can be 
bought with confidence. 

A poor grade of percale would be apt to fade, shrink and 
split, w 7 hereas an excellent piece of madras would give satis¬ 
faction in every respect. It is also possible to get a sleazy 
madras and a first quality in percale. 

Fibre silk and cotton mixtures may combine beauty and 
durability. Many fine mercerized fabrics compare favorably 
in appearance with silk and often wear longer. 

Children’s Clothes 

The three essentials in children’s play clothes are attractive¬ 
ness, ease in laundering and durability. Galatea has the 
length of life so much desired but is disagreeable to launder and 
in many of the pleasing colors it fades beyond recognition. 

The best ginghams and related fabrics (trade marked, see 
p. 49) meet most of the requirements. 

Cr&py materials are adapted to rompers because they are 
easily washed and do not require ironing. 

Underwear Materials 

White piece goods bought for underwear should be carefully 
selected. Frequently valuable trimmings and fine hand work 
are put on these materials. It is disheartening to find that an 
expensive nainsook has split after two months’ washing. 
Here again, the trouble is due to weak and insufficient filling 


130 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


yams. It is possible at home, or in the laboratory, to apply a 
simple test which will show whether the filling is too weak for 
the warp. Place the knuckles together, with the thumbs draw 
the cloth over the forefingers. If the goods does not part 
under this tension, it will undoubtedly give satisfaction. It is 
unfair to try the experiment on the cut edge because almost 
any cloth will tear lengthwise in this way. 

The staple fabrics in white goods for underwear include 
muslin, longcloth, cambric, nainsook and batiste. The rela¬ 
tion of one to the other is interesting. Muslin, the parent of 
them all, is coarse, heavy and somewhat stiff. Longcloth is 
lighter weight and looser, with no starch or polish. Cambric is 
finer and closer than longcloth and has a high finish. Nainsook 
is more open and lighter in weight than longcloth or cambric. 
It is perfectly soft but with a polish on the right side. Batiste 
has the same characteristics as nainsook but is much finer. 
The better grades of batiste are highly mercerized. It is 
difficult to tell where a fine nainsook leaves off and a coarse 
batiste begins. 

Barred muslins are used to some extent for undergarments. 
These materials resemble dimity. They are satisfactory unless 
the cords in the stripe or barred design are too heavy for the 
filling, in which case the latter breaks badly. 

A type of material used for many undergarments is des¬ 
cribed under trade marked names on p. 90. These fabrics 
are all constructed with cotton warp and spun silk filling. 
Because of the fine, light-weight filling yams some of them are 
unsuited for bloomers, waist linings, or any garment where 
there is severe strain. 

Some qualities have stronger filling and therefore give 
reasonable service. The pulling test suggested for nainsook 
will indicate the strength here. 

Wool Coats and Suits 

After the shopper has been assured that the cloth is all wool, 
there are further considerations of importance. 

Surface Wear 

The much dreaded shine which inevitably appears on hard 
finished worsted, as French serge, calls forth complaint from 


TEXTILE TESTS 


131 

men and women alike. This shine is due to the nature of the 
material and cannot be prevented. In making worsted yams, 
the fibres are combed, i. e., laid parallel after all short fibres 
have been discarded, the yarns are twisted tightly. They in 
turn produce a smooth surfaced cloth. 

The friction, from wear, on skirts, trousers and shoulders of 
coats, develops a greater smoothness, which finally reflects 
the light. 

The tailor can temporarily remove the shine. This he may 
do with the use of emery cloth which draws to the surface a few 
ends of wool fibres not yet worn smooth. These break the 
reflection of light and make the cloth appear less shiny. 
Another method is to steam press the goods, lifting the pressing 
cloth before it is quite dry. Or, the shiny portions may be 
rubbed vigorously with a piece of the same material dipped in 
hot ammonia water. After a time, however, the fibre ends are 
all worn off and there is no redress. 

If one chooses a shepherd’s check, or any colored mixture, 
in a worsted suiting the shine is much less apparent than in 
navy blue or black. 

Fabrics having a pile, like velour, a nap like chinchilla, 
or a long hairy surface, like zibeline,'tend to wear off on the 
edges of the garment. It is not so noticeable in a shaggy mixed 
tweed as in a dark blue or black cloth. This objection is to be 
expected in the cheaper grades where wool fibres are often 
stiff and brittle. The better qualities of these materials often 
give excellent service. 

Stretch 

Another fault found with some weaves is the tendency to 
stretch or become baggy in trousers or skirts. Except in the 
case of faulty construction, or inadequate care of garments 
this defect is due to looseness of weave. When loose, spongy 
fabrics are in vogue this grievance is frequently heard. 
Wrinkling and Other Faults 

We value wool not alone because of its warmth and dirt- 
resisting properties but largely because it retains its shape. 
In other words, elasticity is a valuable property of wool. 
Some fabrics are lacking in this respect. They wrinkle badly. 


132 


FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


This is due to the kind of wool used. For the sake of producing, 
a soft and delicate fabric, elasticity of fibres may be sacrificed. 
There is no way. to prevent wrinkling if the cloth is of this type. 

A wool voile neither wrinkles nor catches lint but tends to 
pull out on seams where there is a strain. 

Materials; on the order of wool velour are conspicuous for 
their lint-catching quality. The fault is inherent in the goods. 


PART III 


CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 
A.—BY CLOTH STRUCTURE 
B—BY TRADE NAMES 





























Ill 

A.—CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS—BY CLOTH 
STRUCTURE 

Weaves 

Fundamental 

Plain as in voile (page 76). 

Twill as in serge (page 102). 

Twill as in denim (page 102). 

Satin (warp face) as in satin (page 84). 

Satin (filling face) as in sateen (page 85). 

Modifications of Fundamental Weaves 
Rib (plain) as in poplin (page 79). 

Basket (plain) as in monk’s cloth (page 68). 
Herringbone (twill) as in fancy suiting (page 53). 
(Many varieties of twill.) 

Figure Weaves 

Geometric as in birdseye and huck (pages 21, 54). 
Jacquard as in table damask, silk brocade, tapestry, 
etc. (pages, 24, 38). 

Figures introduced on plain or gauze weave (page 
62). 

Lappet (embroidered dot as in dotted swiss) (page 

59 )- 

Swivel (dot or figure not embroidered, as in some 
swiss and voile) (page 92). 

Other Weaves 

Gauze as in marquisette (page 48). 

Pile (page 75). 

Uncut as in Brussels carpet (page 77). 

Looped as in Turkish toweling (page 97) 


135 


136 ‘ FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM ‘ 
Cut (warp pile) as in velvet and. plush (page 103). 

PIlf ( vxrrvP-f- _1 a « 


Cut (weft pile) as in velveteen and corduroy (page 
104). 

Double cloth as in double faced chinchilla (page 40). 
Combination Weaves 

Plain with satin stripe (page 84). 

Plain with twill stripe (page 101). 

Plain with gauze figure (called “leno”) (page 59). 

Note: Many novelty weaves cannot be classified. 

Knit Structure 

Plain knit stitch as in jersey and tricolette (page 58). 3 
(pa-f83) 3 ” S ^ ^ Underwear and hosiery' tops 

Warp needle knitting as in Milanese (page 66) 

(Many novelty effects in knitting.) 

Nets and Laces 

Filet net related to gauze weave (page 70) 

Bobbinet net-woven like chicken fence wire (page 71) 
(Many varieties of plain and fancy nets.) 

B -—CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 
AS FOUND IN THE AVERAGE DR Y “s STORE 

Art Goods Colored Cotton Goods-Domestics-Draperies- 
Linens Linings—Millinery Fabrics-Nets and Laces-Silk 
Fabrics White Goods—Wool Goods 

ART GOODS 

Ada canvas 4.-. 1 

Hardanger cloth 

COLORED COTTON GOODS 


Beach Cloth 
Corduroy 
Cr6pe 
Japanese 
Serpentine 
Pliss& 


Crepe de chine (cotton) 
Dimity 

Fast color suitings 
Foulard (cotton) 
Gabardine 
Ginghams 




CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 


137 


Lawn 

Madras 

Marquisette 

Organdie 

Oxford suiting 

Pongee (cotton) 

Poplin 


Ratine 

Silk and cotton fabrics (A. B. 

C., Seco, etc.) 

Soisette 

vSwiss 

Tissue 

Voile 


DOMESTICS 


Bathrobe cloth 
Birdseye 
Bunting 
Calico 

Canton flannel 
Canvas or duck 
Challie 
Chambray 
Cheesecloth 
Cheviot shirting 
Cottonade 
Covert (cotton) 

Denim 

Devonshire 

Diaper cloth or birdseye 

Drilling 

Duck 

Eiderdown 

Flannel 

Flannellette 

Galatea 


Gingham—nurses and apron 

Hickory shirting 

Hospital gauze 

Indian Head 

Jean 

Khaki 

Kimono flannel 
Middy twill 
Mosquito netting 
Muslin 

Outing flannel 

Percale 

Ripplette 

Rubber sheeting 

Seersucker 

Shaker flannel 

Sheeting 

Surgeon's gauze 

Tarlatan 

Ticking 

Viyella flannel 


Armure 

Artificial leather 
Art ticking 
Bobbinet net 
Burlap 
Cable net 
Canvas 

Casement cloth 


DRAPERIES 

Chintz 

Crash 

Cretonne 

Damask 

Denim 

Felt 

Fibre silk fabrics 
Filet net 



138 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Friar’s cloth 

Rep 

Imitation leather 

Sateen 

Lawn 

Scrim 

Madras 

Silkaline 

Marquisette 

Sunfast materials 

Mercerized dyed fabrics as 

Swiss 

Orinoko, Stafford , etc. 

Taffeta 

Mohair plush 

Tapestry 

Monk’s cloth 

Terry 

Net 

Theatrical gauze 

Oilcloth 

Velour 

Printed linen drapery fabrics 

Voile 

LINENS 

Airplane linen 

Glass toweling 

Art linen 

Grass cloth or Canton linen 

Birdseye 

Holland 

Butchers’ linen 

Honeycomb toweling 

Cambric 

Huck 

Canton linen 

Lawn 

Canvas 

Mummy cloth or Momie 

Chinese grass cloth 

Russian crash 

Crash 

Sheeting 

Damask 

Silence cloth (felt) 

Embroidery linen (see Art 

Terry 

linen) 

Toweling 

Felt (cotton) 

Turkish toweling 

LININGS 

Alpaca 

Merveilleux 

Cambric lining 

Percaline 

Canvas 

Sateen 

Coutil 

Serge, cotton lining 

Crinoline 

Serge, cotton mohair 

Farmer’s satin 

Serge, mohair 

Hair Cloth 

Silesia 

Heatherbloom 

Silk and cotton fabrics 

Lawn 

A. B. C. y Aledo , etc. 

Lustrine 

Silkaline 


CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 


139 


Soisette 

Venetian 

Velveteen 

Wigan 


MILLINERY FABRICS 

Buckram 

Hatters’ plush 

Cape net 

Panama cloth 

Crinoline 

Rice net 

Duck cloth 

Tarlatan 

Flexible net 

Willow 


NETS AND LACES 

Bobbinet 

Metaline 

Illusion 

Mousseline de soie 

Lining net 

Silk net 

Maline 

Tulle , 

Metal cloth 

SILK FABRICS 

Armure 

Gros grain 11 

Bedford cord 

Habutae or Habutai 

Bengaline 

Jersey silk 

Bolting cloth 

Kimono silk 

Canton er&pe 

La Jerz 

Charmeuse 

Lansdowne 

Chiffon 

Louisine 

Chiffon cloth 

Marquisette 

China Silk 

Messaline 

Corduroy 

Milanese 

Crepe de chine 

Moir6 

Cr&pe meteor 

Ottoman 

Duvetyn 

Peau de Cygne 

Eolienne or Aeolian Peau de Soie 

Faille 

Plush—silk mohair 

Fibre silk fabrics 

Pongee 

Foulard 

Poplin 

Fur fabrics 

Radium 

Georgette 

Rajah 

Gloria 

Satin 

Grenadine 

Serge 

Gros de Londres 

Shantung silk 


140 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Shirting silks 

Tussah 

Sports silks 

Umbrella silk 

Surah 

Velvet 

Taffeta 

Velveteen 

Tricolette 

Voile 

Tricot 

WHITE GOODS 

Batiste 

Madras 

Cambric 

Marquisette 

Crepe 

Nainsook 

Crepe de chine 

Organdie 

Dimity 

Oxford suiting 

Flaxon 

Persian lawn 

Gabardine 

Pique 

India linon 

Poplin 

Indian Head 

Silk and cotton fabrics 

Lawn 

Swiss. 

Long cloth 

Voile 

WOOL GOODS 

Albatross 

Eiderdown 

Alpaca 

Eponge 

Astrachan 

Etamine 

Batiste 

Felt 

Beaver 

Flannel 

Bedfordcord 

Frieze 

Bolivia 

Gabardine 

Brilliantine 

Granite cloth 

Broadcloth 

Grenadine 

Bunting 

Henrietta 

Cashmere 

Homespun 

Cassimere 

Jersey cloth 

Challis or Challie 

Kersey 

Cheviot 

Ladies' cloth 

Chinchilla 

Mackinaw 

Cotton and wool plaids Melton 

Covert 

Mohair 

Cr8pe or Crepon 

Moleskin 

Duvetyn 

Nun’s Veiling 


CLASSIFICATION OF FABRICS 


141 


Palm Beach cloth 

Panama 

Plush, mohair 

Polo cloth 

Poplin 

Prunella 

Ratine 

Serge 

Shepherd*s plaid or check 
Sicilian or Sicilienne 


Suitings 

Taffeta 

Tricot 

Tricotine 

Tweed 

Venetian cloth 

Velour 

Voile 

Whip cord 
Zibeline 






























* 
















































































































































































































PART IV 


BOOKS OF REFERENCE ON TEXTILE 
FABRICS 






« 










IV 


BOOKS OF REFERENCE ON TEXTILE FABRICS 
Dictionaries: 

Adams, F. M.—The Drygoodsman 's Handy Dictionary, 
The Drygoodsman, St. Louis, 1912. 

Bennett, Frank P.—Cotton Fabrics Glossary, 

Frank P. Bennett & Co., 1907. 

Blanco, A. E.—Piece Goods Manual, 

Chinese Maritime Customs, Shanghai, 
1917 - 

Cole, Geo. S.—Dictionary of Dry Goods, 

W. B. Conkey Co., Chicago, 1892. 

Fairchild's National Directory—1920. Fairchild Pub. 

Co., N. Y. 

Dictionary of Textile—pp. 458-492. 

Harmuth, Louis—Dictionary of Textiles, 

Fairchild Pub. Company, N. Y., 1915. 

International Library of Technology—Weave Glossary, 
Fabric Analysis, International Text Book 
Company, Scranton, Pa., 1906. 

Silk Terms—A Dictionary of, Clifford & Lawton, New 
York, 1915. 

Silk Terms—-A Glossary of, Cheney Bros., 1915. 

General: 

Dooley, William—Textiles, D. C. Heath, 1910. 

Gibbs, Charlotte—Household Textiles, Whitcomb & 

Barrows, 1913.* 

Kinne and Cooley—Shelter & Clothing, Macmillan, 1913. 

McGowan, and Waite—Textiles and Clothing, 

Macmillan, ^919. 

Murphy, William S.—Modem Drapery & Allied Trades, 
4 vols. The Gresham Pub. Co., London, 

1914- 


*Revised Edition, 1922. 


145 




146 FABRICS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 


Nystrom, Paul H.—Textiles, D. Appleton & Co., 1916. 

Thompson, Eliza B.—Cotton and Linen, Department 
Store Merchandise Manual, 1917, The 
Ronald Press, N. Y. 

Thompson, Eliza B.—Silk, Department Store Merchan¬ 
dise Manual, 1918, Ronald Press, N. Y. 

Turner, Annabelle—A Study of Fabrics, D. Appleton 
& Co., 1918. 

Watson, Kate H.—Textiles & Clothing, Am. School of 
Home Economics, Chicago, 1907. 

Woolman and McGowan—Textiles, Macmillan, 1913. 

Woolman, Mary S.—Clothing: Choice, Care, Cost, J. B 
Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1920. 

NOTE: Only those books are listed which give some infor¬ 
mation on fabrics. There are many excellent references not 
included here. 


414-90 

















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